Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2

CHAP. I.

N Ow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, &c.] That this book of Ezra was always acknowledged by the Jews a part of the sacred Canon of Scripture, I find not questioned by any: indeed who was the penman and writer of it we cannot absolutely say, yet generally it is held that it was written by Ezra whose name is set as the title of the book, and it is the more probable, because he was of the chief stock of the priests, the son, that is, the grandchild of Seraiah, chap. 7.1. who was the chief priest in the days of Zedekiah, and slain by the Chaldeans when Jerusalem was destroyed by them, 2. Kings 25.18.21. and withal, because he lived when these things were done which are related in this book, to wit, in the time of the people's return from Babylon, and was a ready scribe, as is expressly noted of him, chap. 7.6. and so the more likely to continue the history of the commonwealth of the Jews in his times, as the prophets that lived in the former ages had severally done in their times. The first two verses are word for word the same that we have in the close of the foregoing book of the second of Chronicles (which hath moved some Expositors to think that the books of the Chronicles were also written by Ezra) and therein we are told, that in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that is, in the first year of his Empire, the first year of his reign over Babylon (for he had then been king of Persia above twenty years) he gave the Jews liberty to return again into their own country: we must know that Nebuchadnezzar after the taking of Jerusalem had subdued all the nations round about, as was prophesied of him; yea even Egypt amongst the rest, the greatest and strongest of all those bordering nations, Jer. 25.9, 10, 11. Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon my servant; and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, &c. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years, Isa. 20.4. So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot: see also Jer. 43.10, 11. and 44.30. and thus was the Babylonian Empire raised by Nebuchadnezzar, which he left to Evilmerodach his son, and he to Belshazzar his son, according to that, Jer. 27.7. All nations shall serve him, and his son, and his sons son: But then in Belshazzar's time this great Empire was ruined by the Medes and Persians, who besieged Babylon, took it, and destroyed it utterly, and slew Belshazzar, and so fulfilled what was prophesied, Isa. 47.1. Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground, there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans, &c. and so Jer. 50.1, 2, 3. and thus the Empire was translated from the Babylonians to the Persians: indeed in this war against Babylon, the Medes had the chief stroke for Darius Medus (or Cyaxares) did command in chief in this war, and the army consisted most of his people, Isa. 13.17. Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver, &c. and Jer. 51.11. The Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, &c. and therefore when Balthazar or Belshazzar was slain he was made king, Dan. 5.30, 31. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain, and Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old: but yet withal, first, because Cyrus (who was then absolute king of Persia, or Viceroy thereof under Darius the Mede) did join with Darius in this expedition against Babylon, and by his valor and policy chiefly the city was taken, as being the man preordained and forenamed by God himself for this great action: secondly, because Darius it seems stayed not in Babylon, but returned into Media, and left Cyrus as his Viceroy in his room: and thirdly, because (Darius who was Cyrus his great uncle, and as some think his father in law also) lived not full two years after, but left all to Cyrus his heir: therefore even from the first Cyrus was esteemed the Monarch of those parts, and however in truth till the death of his uncle Darius the Mede, he was absolute Monarch, but held also under him as his Viceroy, as is evident, Dan. 6.28. This Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian: yet the very first year after the conquest of Babylon was reckoned as the first year of Cyrus reign, as we see here, where it is said that in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia God stirred up his spirit to let the Jews go home to their own country, &c. that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, to wit, the promise concerning the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity at the end of seventy years, through the favor of Cyrus, Jer. 29.10. After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word towards you, in causing you to return this place.

Vers. 2. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, &c.] It seems that by Daniel or some other of the Jews, that it was discovered to Cyrus that many years before the Lord had told them by his prophets, that one Cyrus should vanquish Babylon with other nations, and then should freely deliver the Jews out of their captivity, and cause their city and Temple to be again built, all which for his better satisfaction they might show him in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 44.1. —13. And hence it was that he acknowledged that God had charged him to build the Temple, and confessed that those kingdoms which he had subdued were given him of God; using these high terms, The Lord God hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, either out of an affectation of the universal Monarchy of the whole world; or out of an hyperbolical ostentation of the largeness of his Empire, to which all the kingdoms in those parts of the world were subdued: according to those expressions we meet with elsewhere, Luke 2.1. There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed; and Acts 2.5. And there was dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout men out of every nation.

Vers. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, &c.] That is, whosoever abideth as a stranger or sojourner in any place of my dominion and hath a mind to go up to Jerusalem, let the men that dwell in that place furnish him with all provisions requisite for his journey, beside that which they shall send by them as a free-will-offering for the building or service of the Temple: the transporting of silver, and gold, and other commodities is in many places severely forbidden, and so happily it was there; the king therefore gives license to the Jews by his proclamation, for the carrying away of these things, and withal encourageth the people to afford them what help they could, by letting them know that his desire was they should be plentifully furnished with all things necessary.

Vers. 5. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up, &c.] To wit, both of these and the other tribes also: some even of Judah and Benjamin went not, as being well settled where they were, and loath to remove; or desirous to see first how these will speed; but those whose spirits God had stirred up went, not of these tribes only, but of others also, 1. Chron. 9.3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh; and therefore some conceive that at this time that prophesy of Ezekiel was fulfilled, Ezek. 37.16, 17.21, 22. Son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. And join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one in thy hand: and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms, anymore at all.

Vers. 7. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, &c.] Though the most of them were cut and defaced, and only laid up in the treasury of the house of their gods (of which Bel was the chief, Isaiah 46.1. Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, &c. Jer. 51.44. I will punish Bel in Babylon, &c. and that as a monument of the taking of Jerusalem, 2. Kings 24.13. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasure of the kings house, &c. or else that place in the kings must be meant of the vessels which Solomon made, which being old and worn with age were cut in pieces, there being others also made afterwards for the use of the Temple, which were carried away whole, and now restored: at this time also the king sent letters with them to command his deputies in Syria to afford them all necessaries, chap. 6.1.

Vers. 8. And numbered them unto Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.] That is, Zerubbabel; for he that laid the foundation of the Temple is called Zerubbabel, chap. 3.8. In the second month began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, &c. to set forward the work of the house of the Lord: and elsewhere Shebazzar, chap. 5.16. Then came Shebazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God: he was the chief prince of the tribe of Judah, and of the blood royal, the son of Salathiel, and grandchild of Jeconiah, Matth. 1.12. and so was by Cyrus made ruler of those that now went up to Jerusalem, chap. 5.14. Those did Cyrus the king take out of the Temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he made governor: and thus the government was still in the tribe of Judah according to that prophecy of Jacob, Gen. 49.10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, &c.

Vers. 9. Nine and twenty knives.] These knives were such doubtless as were used by the priests in killing the sacrifices, and being it seems trimmed richly with gold and silver, are therefore reckoned here amongst the plate that was carried out of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, and now restored by Cyrus.

Vers. 10. Silver basons of a second sort, four hundred and ten.] That is, of another size, or of another kind and fashion, happily those of the first sort were for the service of the Temple, these of the second sort for the courts and chambers.

And other vessels a thousand.] That is, other vessels of the chief sort: for this is not the number of all the other vessels, great and small, not before mentioned, as is evident in the following verse.

Vers. 11. All the vessels of gold and of silver, were five thousand and four hundred.] That is both of those before mentioned, and those that are here particularly expressed.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. NOw these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, &c.] In this chapter we have a catalogue of those that went out of Babylon with Zerubbabel, when Cyrus by his proclamation gave them liberty to return. Some conceive they are called the children of the province, because they had dwelt in Babylon. But I rather conceive that it is the land of Judea which is here called the province, and so with respect thereto, the Jews are here called the children of the province, because Judea was now one of the provinces that were in subjection to the Babylonian Empire, according to that Esther 1.1. Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces. Now though it be most probable that some of the ten tribes that were carried into Assyria before Nebuchadnezzar's reign, did now return with Zerubbabel, chap. 1.5. yet because there were but few of them to speak of, therefore they that returned, are said to be those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away, and they are said to have returned everyone unto his city, whereby is meant not the cities wherein they had formerly dwelt, but the cities appointed them by their present governors for their dwelling; for those of the ten tribes that did now return, dwelt not in the cities of Samaria, but in the cities of Judah.

Vers. 22. Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, &c.] These that are here expressed by name, were doubtless the chiefest and most eminent of those that went now with Zerubbabel, the most of them happily captains and governors of the people, and then afterwards he adds in the sequel of the chapter, the number of the men of the people of Israel, that is, how many there were of the people. Now concerning those that are expressed by name, we must note; first, that Jeshua was the high priest the son of Jozadak, chap. 3.2. called elsewhere Joshua the son of Josedech, as Haggai 1.1. the great assistant of Zerubbabel, in the building of the Temple: secondly, that in Nehem. 7.7. where the catalogue of those that did at first go up with Zerubbabel is again set down, some of these here mentioned are called by other names, as Seraiah is there called Azariah; Relaijah, Raamiah; Misper, Mispereth; and Rehum, Nahum; and withal there is one added there, to wit, Nahumani, that is not mentioned here: and thirdly, that it is not probable that either Nehemiah here mentioned, was that famous Nehemiah the pen-man of that book of Scripture which is called by his name; or Mordecai, that famous Mordecai that was Esther's uncle, but two others of the same name: for first, had that Nehemiah gone up in the first year of Cyrus, he must needs have been well stricken in years, and yet we see he was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, Neh. 2.1. and the Persians used to have young men to attend them in such places: and secondly, from the first year of Cyrus to Darius the last who was beaten by Alexander the great, there was at least two hundred years and upwards, and till the time of that Darius the last, did that famous Nehemiah live; for in his book mention is made of Jaddua the priest, Neh. 12.11. of whom we read in Josephus that he met Alexander the great in his priestly robes, and so stayed him from doing any hurt to the city and Temple: and as for Mordecai Esther's uncle, he brought up Esther in Shushan in Persia long after this in the days of Ahasuerus (or Zerxes) and therefore did not return with Zerubbabel in the first year of Cyrus, as this Mordecai did.

Vers. 3. The children of Parosh, &c.] That is, the posterity of Parosh, or rather the family whereof Parosh was the head or chief: afterwards verse. 21. many of the people are mentioned by the names of the cities where they had formerly dwelt, as the children of Beth-lehem, the children of Netophah, &c. but that the proper names here mentioned are not the names of cities, but the names of men that were the heads of families is evident, Neh. 10.14. where many of them are mentioned as the chief of the people that sealed the covenant.

Vers. 5. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.] Neh. 7.10. it is six hundred fifty two, which must thus be reconciled, that seven hundred seventy five (as here is said) gave up their names in Babylon that they would return, but only six hundred fifty two mentioned in Nehemiah, came up into Judea; the rest changing their minds, or dying by the way: and the like must be held concerning verse. 8, 27, 28, 33, 42, 60.

Vers. 6. Of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.] Neh. 7.11. the number is, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen; to wit, because when they came up into Judea, there were six more then had given up their names in Babylon, the like must be held concerning verse. 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 35, 41, 65.

Vers. 16. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.] That is, whereas there were several families descended of Ater of the children of Hezekiah, who was the head of one of those families, there were ninety and eight.

Vers. 21. The children of Beth-lehem, &c.] That is the children of those that were formerly inhabitants of Beth-lehem: and so we must understand the following verses, wherein there are any towns or cities mentioned.

Vers. 25. The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, &c.] Or Kiriath-jearim and Ceprah, Neh. 7.29.

Vers. 29. The children of Nebo, fifty and two.] Not Nebo in the tribe of Reuben, but Nebo in the tribe of Judah, called usually Nob, and therefore Nehemiah calleth it the other Nebo. Neh. 7.33.

Vers. 30. The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.] These are not mentioned at all in Nehemiah, see above verse. 5.

Vers. 43. The Nethinims.] See 1. Chron. 9.2.

Vers. 44. The children of Siaha.] Or Sia, Neh. 7.47.

Vers. 55. The children of Solomon's servants.] That is, the strangers, proselytes that were employed by Solomon in the building of the Temple, and having lived long amongst the children of Judah, were now reckoned amongst them.

Vers. 61. Which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.] Some conceive that Barzillai was a priest, and these priests that married the daughters and heirs of the family, were therefore called by that name, but because they could not prove their genealogy were put from the priesthood: Others conceive, that these priests marrying into the noble family of Barzillai, disregarding the honor of the priesthood, because in the captivity where they were not employed as priests in offering up sacrifices, they had neither any profit nor honor by being priests, did therefore choose to be called after the family of their wives; but now being returned to Judea, and the priesthood growing into fame and request again, these degenerate priests would fain have taken place among the priests of the Lord; but not being now able to prove their genealogy they were amongst others put from the priesthood.

Vers. 63. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat, &c.] Tirshatha is a name of office, as the commissary the governor or deputy of the king. It is elsewhere given to Nehemiah, Neh. 8.9. And Nehemiah which is the Tirshatha: and therefore some think that this catalogue was taken by Nehemiah though it be set down here: but because Nehemiah came out of Babylon so long after the Jews came first thence, therefore it is rather here meant of Zerubbabel who was now chief governor, called also Sheshbazzar, chap. 1.8. and whereas it is here said, that these priests that could not prove their genealogy, should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim, hereby it is manifest, that the Urim and Thummim was either lost or burnt together with many other things when the Chaldees took Jerusalem, and indeed however Zerubbabel hoped as it seems by these words, that they might by the providence of God he had again; yet they were never found again, the Lord thereby teaching the Church that the ceremonies were going and the Messias coming, that salvation was not to be placed in the ordinances of Moses, but that they were shortly to expect the true Urim and Thummim Christ Jesus, the high priest of their profession.

Vers. 64. The whole congregation together, was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore.] That is, both of those of Judah and Benjamin, of whom the particular numbers are before punctually expressed, and those of the other ten tribes who are not here mentioned. If we sum up the particular numbers before set down, they all amount but to twenty nine thousand eight hundred and eighteen, which is above twelve thousand less then the total sum here expressed, and these no doubt were those of the other ten tribes that returned with their brethren of Judah and Benjamin, 1. Chron. 9.3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: we nowhere read of so many that were carried into Babylon, but it seems they multiplied greatly in Babylon as formerly in Egypt.

Vers. 65. And there were among them two hundred singing-men, and singing-women.] These were such as were employed amongst them in singing at their weddings and funerals, and such other solemnities, 2. Chron. 35.25. in Nehemiah 7.67. it is said there were of these two hundred forty five, but for this, see the note above, verse. 6.

Vers. 68. When they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, &c.] That is, to the place where the Temple had stood.

Vers. 70. So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, &c.] That is, some of the people dwelt in the cities to the priests and Levites assigned for their habitation.

CHAP. III.

Vers. 1. ANd when the seventh month was come, &c.] That is, when the seventh month approached, for they began to offer burnt offerings on the first day of the month, verse. 6. From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord, &c. because there were many festivals by the law appointed to be kept on this month (which were the first after their return out of Babylon) to wit, the feast of trumpets on the first day, Levite. 23.24. the feast of expiation or day of atonement on the tenth day, Levite. 23.27. and the feast of Tabernacles, on the fifteenth day, Levite. 23.34. and besides the first feast of the dedication of the Temple was on this month, 1. Kings 8.2. &c. therefore the people having spent some time in settling their own domestical affairs in the several towns and cities where they were to dwell, at least the seventh month approaching they did unanimously assemble together unto Jerusalem, that they might build the altar, and prepare for the keeping of these solemnities.

Vers. 3. And they set the altar upon his bases, &c.] That is, they built the altar upon the foundations of Solomon's altar which were still standing, and the reason of this is added in the following words (for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries) that is, they laid not a new foundation for haste, because they feared, that if it were not soon dispatched, they should be hindered by the Samaritans the neighbouring inhabitants of that country, who already it seems began to threaten them, and to bandy against them. Yet some conceive that in these words a reason is given, not why they built the altar upon the old bases or foundations of Solomon's altar, but why they would not stay the building of the altar till the temple was built: it was, because they were afraid of the Samaritans; and so they hastened the building of the altar, that by offering up sacrifices to God, they might seek his favor and assistance against those their envious and malignant neighbors.

Vers. 4. They kept also the feast of tabernacles, &c.] With what extraordinary solemnity this feast was afterward kept, we see, Neh. 8.13.18.

Vers. 6. From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings, &c.] Which was the day appointed by the law for the feast of trumpets, Levite. 23.24. In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets.

Vers. 9. Then stood Joshua, with his sons and his brethren, &c.] Not the son of Josedech the high priest, but a Levite of the same name, of whom mention is made before, chap. 2.40.

Vers. 11. Giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth forever towards Israel, &c.] To wit, singing the 118. or the 136. Psalm. See 2. Chron. 5.13. and 7.3.

Vers. 12. Ancient men that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, &c.] To wit, both because many of the holy things that were in the former house were like to be wanting in this, and especially because the glory of this building was not likely to equal the glory of the first which Solomon built; a shadow intimating the wearing away of the legal ceremonies. Yea thus it continued to be with the people, when afterwards the building of the Temple went forward in the days of Darius, whence it was that Haggai the Prophet, who prophesied in the second year of Darius the king, Hag. 1.1. did encourage and comfort the people with that promise, Hag. 2.9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former; which yet he meant not of the glory of the building; but of the glorious appearance of Christ the promised Messiah herein: nor needs it seem strange that some were now living that had seen the former Temple; for that was destroyed in the eleventh year of the captivity, 2. Kings 25. and therefore it was but threescore years after that when the foundations of this new house were laid.

CHAP. IV.

Vers. 2. THen they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you, &c.] This they did doubtless not out of any sincere desire to set forward the building, or to advance the worship of God (for these Samaritans that spake this were always deadly enemies to the Jews) but either to curry favor with Cyrus (for because he now favored the Jews and gave way to the building of the Temple, therefore they would be as one people with them, and approve it by joining with them in this holy work) or else out of hope that their people being mingled with the Jews in this work, there would some contention arise, and so the work would be hindered; yet to the end they might prevail with the Jews, they alleged they served and sacrificed to the true God of Israel (as indeed they pretended to do, though withal they served their idol-gods too, 2. Kings 17.33. They feared the Lord, and served their own God's) even since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who was the son of Shalmaneser, and grandchild of Sennacherib, 2. Kings 19.37. and it seems brought a new colony of several nations into the land of Samaria, as his father had done before him.

Vers. 3. You have nothing to do with us, to build an house unto our God, &c.] Thus Zerubbabel and the rest answered the Samaritans, because they were idolaters, and neither were of the stock of Israel, nor did purely worship the God of Israel: therefore they protested against them, that they had nothing to do with the Temple to sacrifice there, and so also not to join with them in the building of it, alleging withal that they would build it themselves, as say they, king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us, wherein they give them to understand that the commission they had from the king, did warrant them to do what they did.

Vers. 4. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, &c.] That is, when Samaritans could not by fraud accomplish their desires, because the Jews would not admit them to join with them in building the Temple, then they used other means to hinder them in their work; to wit, partly by threatening them, and by raising any false rumors that might discourage them, and partly, no doubt, by using all means that they might not have those materials and money out of the kings revenues which Cyrus had commanded should be given them for the building of the Temple, chap. 6.3, 4.

Vers. 5. And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, &c.] That is, the Samaritans did not only do what themselves could to hinder the Jews in building the Temple, but by bribes also they secretly hired such as were powerful with the king of Persia; to wit, the deputies and governors in Samaria and other provinces, yea, and those that were of his privy counsel in Persia, to advise the king by many false pretences and informations, to disannul that decree which had been made for the building of it▪ and this they did all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia; that is, all the days of Cyrus and Cambyses his son, and Smerdis the Magus (who a while usurped the kingdom after Cambyses death) unto the second year of Darius the son of Hystaspes, when the work of the Temple was again set forward, verse. 24. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia; and that by the encouragement of the Prophet Haggai, Hag. 1.1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel, &c, It may seem strange indeed that the building of the Temple should be hindered in Cyrus time; but for this we must know that Cyrus going abroad a while after the return of the Jews, to finish such other warlike expeditions as he had in hand, he left Cambyses his son, or Viceroy, to govern the kingdom in his absence, who is therefore called the Prince of the kingdom of Persia, Dan. 10.13. and with him those counselors mentioned did so far prevail, that he countermanded the building begun. Cyrus being dead, Cambyses reigned in his stead, a wicked and cruel Prince (that as other histories report, slew his brother and married his own sister, and afterwards put her to death) and no marvel though he were an enemy to the Jews, when he reigned as absolute king in his own right, having been so when he governed the kingdom as Viceroy in his fathers right: especially if we consider what other histories report, that he was resolved to invade Egypt, and therefore he might well fear the Jews, who were accused to be always a rebellious people, and ready still to side with Egypt: whilst he was abroad following the wars, one Smerdis one of his Magi (pretending himself to be Smerdis the brother of Cambyses) usurped the kingdom, whereof Cambyses hearing, as he was mounting his horse to haste home, his sword unsheathing ran into his thigh, and so he died without issue: God revenging the great wrong he had done to his people. He being dead, the seven Princes of Persia soon slew the usurping Magus, and and then Darius Hystaspes was chosen Emperor, in whose second year a decree was made for the Jews rebuilding of the Temple, chap. 6.1. Many learned men indeed are of opinion that it was Darius Nothus, that was long after Darius Hystaspes, that made this decree, and that Darius the son of Hystaspes is here mentioned inclusively, as one of those kings in whose time the building of the Temple was hindered: but from the first year of Cyrus to the second of Darius Nothus is ordinarily accounted above one hundred and thirty years: and first, Zerubbabel being of some good years when he came out of Babylon, it is not probable that he should live so long, and yet we know that he laid the foundations of the Temple in Cyrus his days, and he also finished it in the sixth year of Darius, according to that prophesy, Zach. 4.9. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you: and secondly, some of those that had seen the Temple before it was destroyed by the Chaldeans, were it seems alive when that decree of Darius was made, Haggai 2.3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it, as nothing? which could not be if it were Darius Nothus; either therefore it was Darius the son of Hystaspes that renewed Cyrus his decree, or else of necessity we must hold that the king of Persia reigned not in their several times, so long as it is by all Historians reported they did, which if we might admit, then happily it might be said that it was Darius Nothus (of whom mention is made, verse. 24. of this chapter, and chap. 6. verse. 1. who made a new decree to second that of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the Temple, and that these words are meant of the reign of Darius the son of Hystaspes inclusively, he being numbered amongst those kings in whose times the enemies of the Jews did by underhand dealing trouble them, and seek to frustrate their purpose in building the Temple.

Vers. 6. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.] They that hold that Darius the son of Hystaspes is mentioned in the former verse inclusively, to wit, that to the end of his reign, the enemies of the Jews did secretly hire counselors against them to hinder them in their work, they also hold that Ahasuerus here mentioned, was Xerxes that fourth rich king of Persia, mentioned Dan. 11.2. And the fourth shall be far richer then they all, and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia; and that he was called Ahasuerus, that is an hereditary prince, because he was the first son of Darius Hystaspes by his wife Atossa, who was the daughter of Cyrus, and that in the beginning of his reign the Jews enemies began first openly to write letters of accusation against them for building the Temple: and so again likewise they hold that Artaxerxes mentioned in the following verse, was Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Xerxes by Esther the daughter of Abigail, Esther 2.15. who is by other authors called Amestris the daughter of Otan, and so that the building of the Temple ceased in the reign of both these kings, until the second year of Darius Nothus who was the bastard son of this Artaxerxes, and succeeded him in the throne, but for the reasons mentioned in the former note, and withal, because it is not probable that the Temple lay so long unbuilt, and especially in the days of Ahasuerus or Xerxes the husband of Esther, therefore the more probable opinion of all other Interpreters generally is, that it is Cambyses the son of Cyrus who is here called both Ahasuerus, verse. 6. and Artaxerxes, verse. 7. so that what was generally affirmed, verse. 5. is now more particularly expressed in the sequel of the chapter.

Vers. 7. And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithridath, &c.] Some Interpreters translate this word Bishlam in peace, and so they would have the meaning of the words to be, that Mithridath and the other here mentioned wrote to Artaxerxes against the Jews, secretly and cunningly; when in the mean season they carried themselves towards the Jews, as if they had been at peace with them and meant them no hurt: but better I conceive is this word by our Translatours taken, as the name of one of the chief of those that wrote to Artaxerxes. And as concerning this Artaxerxes, it is said before in the foregoing note, that though some hold it was Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Xerxes, who is called Ahasuerus in the former verse; yet most generally it is held that the same Cambyses the son of Cyrus, who is called Ahasuerus in the former verse, is here called Artaxerxes, verse. 6. it is said that they wrote to Ahasuerus against the Jews, where Cambyses is called by the name given him amongst the Chaldees, and now in this verse undertaking to set down the copy of the letters, the penman of this story doth again repeat the time when, and the king to whom it was written, only here he calls him by his Persian name which it seems was used in the letter, to wit, Artaxerxes.

And the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.] That is, in the Syrian tongue, and with Syrian characters.

Vers. 8. Rehum the Chancellor, and Shimshai the Scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem, &c.] That is, the letter was composed by Rehum the Chancellor and written by Shimshai the scribe, though it was written in the name of those mentioned verse. 7. and others the Governors in Samaria, and from this to verse. 19. chap 6. the story is written in the Chaldee tongue.

Vers. 9. The Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, &c.] These were several people that were placed by the Assyrians in Samaria, who joined now in writing these letters to Artaxerxes.

Vers. 10. And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, &c.] The most of Expositors think that it is Esarhaddon mentioned before, verse. 2. the son of Sennacherib who brought over a colony of these nations into Samaria, that is here called the great and noble Asnappar, yet it may be meant of some great commander or chief officer of Esarhaddon, employed by him in bringing over this colony.

And the rest that are on this side the river.] That is, Euphrates that divided the Jews from the Babylonians.

Vers. 12. And have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.] Because there is no mention anywhere made that they had at this time meddled with building of the walls: but on the contrary we read, that long after this complaint was made to Nehemiah, Nehem. 1.3. that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire, that is, that they continued in that condition as Nebuchadnezzar had long ago left them; therefore it is most likely that this was a mere falsehood which the Samaritans charged upon the Jews, only thereby to stir up jealousies in the king of Persia against them; and indeed it is not probable that they would undertake the building of the city walls, when they were not well able to go through with that work which they had first set upon, and were so zealously intended to finish it, to wit, the building of the Temple.

Vers. 15. That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers.] Because this Artaxerxes was a Persian, and the rebellion of the Jews which is here objected, was not against the Persians, but against the Assyrians and Babylonians, to what end should search be made in the records of Artaxerxes his father? I answer: First, that the Persians did usually aid the Assyrians and Babylonians against the Jews, and because of this there might be mention made of the rebellion of the Jews against the Syrians in the records of the Persian kings, see Isaiah 22.6. Secondly, that by his fathers here may be meant the Babylonian kings only, because the Persians succeeded them in their Empire, or perhaps because they pretended some title of succession, as conquerors to establish themselves the better, are usually wont to do.

Vers. 24. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.] That is, of Darius Hystaspes; yet some think it was Darius Nothus the bastard son of Artaxerxes Longimanus.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 1. THen the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zachariah the son of Iddo prophesied unto the Jews, &c.] The building of the Temple having a long time ceased, Darius at length being chosen king of Persia, the prophet Haggai was sent from God to the Jews, in the second year of Darius in the sixth month, Haggai 1.1. and then two months after him Zachariah the son of Iddo, that is, the grandchild of Iddo; for he was the son of Barachiah the son of Iddo, Zach. 1.1. In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zachariah the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, &c. and was afterwards slain by the Jews, Matth. 23.35. and so both these prophets did jointly together reprove the Jews for neglecting this work, and did persuade them to set upon it again, showing them that the famine that had been of late amongst them, was a punishment of God upon them for neglecting of this work. It is true indeed, they had been commanded by the king of Persia to desist from building the city, chap. 4.12.21. but there was no one word in that letter to forbid the building of the Temple: and besides there being now a new king in Persia, and of another family, why did they not afresh return to their work? these prophets therefore did sharply reprove their sloth, and incite them to set forward the work

Vers. 2. And with them were the prophets of God helping them.] To wit, by exhorting and stirring up the people to buckle themselves closely and courageously to the work, and happily also by doing what they could do to help the work forward, for the people's greater encouragement.

Vers. 3. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, &c.] The Jews had been hitherto busy enough in building for themselves goodly and fair houses, Haggai 1.4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste, and these men then hindered them not; but no sooner do they set upon the building of the Temple, but again they bandied together against them.

Vers. 4. Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?] It is evident that these adversaries of the Jews inquired concerning the names of those that were principal agents in this business, as we see verse. 10. We asked their names also to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them; and therefore Expositors understand this as spoken in their person, we said, that is, we Tatnai, Shether-Boznai, and the rest said unto the Jews, What are the names of the men? &c. Neither do we see how it can be otherwise taken if it be read with an interrogation, as our translators have rendered it.

Vers. 5. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius.] That is, the Jews being a poor unsettled friendless people, might well have been feared by the threatening of these their powerful adversaries, but by the providence of God over them they were so encouraged, and their enemies so far restrained, that nothing was done to hinder them, but they were content to let them go on till the matter was brought to Darius his knowledge, who afterward gave them liberty and encouragement to go on in their work.

Vers. 16. And since that time even until now, hath it been in building, &c.] Though oft interrupted, so that of late the work had ceased many years together, Chap. 4.24. to wit, the eight years of Cambyses reign, and the two first years of Darius Hystaspes.

Vers. 17. Let there be search made in the kings treasure house, which is there at Babylon, &c.] Where the records were kept, see chap. 6.1.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 1. ANd search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.] That is, in the Empire of Babylon, whereof Media was now a part; for this roll now sought for, was found at Achmetha, which was a chief city in the province of the Medes, verse. 2. And there was found at Achmetha in the place, that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, &c. yet it may be they first searched in the house of the rolls in Babylon, but finding it not there, they searched further in other places, and found it at last at Achmetha or Ecbatana, that is in the province of the Medes.

Vers. 3. And let the foundations thereof be strongly laid, the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits.] The height of Solomon's Temple was but thirty cubits, 1. Kings 6.2. And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, only the tower which was over the porch, was one hundred and twenty cubits high, 2. Chron. 3.4. And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house twenty cubits, and the height was one hundred and twenty: and yet it seems not that this Temple which Zerubbabel built, did any way equal much less surpass the Temple of Solomon, as we may see by that of the Prophet, H • ag. 2.3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do • ou see it now? is it not in in your eyes in comparison of it, as nothing? If therefore • yrus gave liberty to build the whole Temple sixty cubits high; yet either it was not built so high as Cyrus had allowed them to build it; or else, this measure appointed for the outmost height of the Temple, is meant of that part where it was to be raised highest (according to the pattern of the former house) to wit, the tower of the porch, which was before one hundred and twenty cubits high, 2. Chron. 3.4. and now allowed to be but sixty cubits high; or else, the cubits here meant were the common cubits, whereas in those places in the Kings and Chronicles, the sacred or geometricall cubits were meant. As for the directions here given for the breadth of it, the breadth thereof was threescore cubits, it is manifest that Solomon's Temple was but twenty cubits broad, 1. Kings 6.2. and as manifest it is that the very foundations of this Temple which Zerubbabel built, came far short of Solomon's Temple, chap. 3.12. Many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men that had seen the first house, when the foundation of his house was laid before their eyes, wept; and therefore was not doubtless forty cubits broader then Solomon's, as by this place it may seem: either therefore the cubits intended by Cyrus were not so large as those sacred gcometricall cubits, by which the measure of Solomon's Temple was set forth (which is indeed the usual answer of most Expositors) or else by the breadth thereof here is meant the utmost extent of it, both north and south, and also east and west, (and so the length, as being comprehended in the breadth, is not here mentioned) and then indeed this house must needs be far short of that which Solomon built, whose length alone was sixty cubits, though but twenty cubits broad, 1. Kings 6.2.

Vers. 4. With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber.] Some Expositors conceive that Cyrus in this direction given for the building of the Temple, had respect to the fashion of building used amongst the Persians in their most stately houses or Temples, according to which he thought fit the Temple should be made; but because this direction agreeth so fully with the description of the buildings about the inner court of Solomon's Temple, 1. Kings 6.36. And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams; I rather conceive, that it is here meant also concerning the new raising of those buildings about the priests court, that they should be made as formerly, with three rows of great stones, and a row of timber; that is, with three galleries of stone, and one of timber, or three galleries of stone, each of them being covered or floored with timber.

Vers. 6. Now therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river, &c.] Here begins the decree of Darius, which is now added to that former decree of Cyrus, wherein far greater encouragement is granted to the Jews for the building the Temple, then ever before, and so the promises of Haggai, and Zachariah, wherewith the encouraged the people to set upon the work, were abundantly fulfilled. The chief cause why Darius afforded them this favor, was because God had inclined his heart thereto; yet because he had married Atossa the daughter of Cyrus, even in that regard he might be the more forward to further the work which Cyrus had begun.

Be ye far from thence.] That is, meddle not with them to hinder them in their work.

Vers. 12. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there, destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand, to alter and to destroy this house of God, &c.] That is, to alter this decree of mine by destroying this house of God which I have appointed to be built.

Vers. 14, And they built, and finished it, &c. according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.] They that hold the Temple was finished in the sixth year of Darius Nothus, they also hold that this Artaxerxes here mentioned, was Artaxerxes Mnemon the son of Darius Nothus, and that because he reigned with his father in this sixth year of Darius when the Temple was finished, his father Darius being then employed in his wars against Secundianus and others, and that therefore it is here said that the Temple was built and finished, according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia; but if the Darius here mentioned, were Darius the son of Hystaspes (as to many it seems more probable, of which see the note, chap. 4.5.) then by Artaxerxes here, either Zerxes is meant the son of Darius Hystaspes, that fourth and rich king of Persia, Dan. 11.2. who was also called Artaxerxes and Ahasuerus the husband of Esther, who being made coemperour with his father Darius, therefore it is said, that the Jews built and finished the Temple, according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia; or else, Artaxerxes Longimanus or Longhand, is meant the son of Zerxes by Esther, and grandchild of Darius Hystaspes, and that he is here joined with Cyrus and Darius, because though the fabric itself of the Temple was fully finished long before his reign, to wit, in the sixth year of his grandfather Darius, verse. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king; yet it was afterward much beautified, and in that regard finished, by the commandment of this Artaxerxes the son of Zerxes, when he gave commission for the building of the walls of Jerusalem.

Vers. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.] Here the time is set down when the fabric of the Temple was finished, to wit, the third day of the month Adar, which was their twelfth month, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius; for that it was not quite finished in regard of the beautifying, and happily in regard of the further enlarging of it, is evident from that which was said before, verse. 14. And they built, and finished it, &c. according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia: since hereby it is plain, that though the fabric of the Temple was finished in the sixth year of Darius, as is here said, yet somewhat was done afterwards for the more complete finishing of it in the reign of Artaxerxes the son or grandchild of this Darius; but how doth this agree may some say, with that which the Jews said to our Savior, Joh. 2.20. Fourty and six years was this Temple in building; since according to the computation of the most of those historians that lived about these times, Cyrus reigned after he came to the Empire but seven years, and Cambyses but eight years; so that from the second of Cyrus when the foundation of the Temple was first laid, to the sixth of Darius Hystaspes, and so including all the time wherein the Jews were forced to cease from building the Temple, there will be found not above twenty years; but to this two answers are given by Expositors: for first, some say that the Jews spake not of the building of the Temple in the time of the Persian kings, but of the building of it by Herod, who did in a manner build it anew; and that was properly the Temple of which Christ then spake: and indeed though Josephus saith that he was not full nine years in building it, yet considering that above thirty years after they were still beautifying and enlarging the Temple, with some addition or other, I see not but that it may be very probably thought that the Jews spake indeed of the building of the Temple by Herod: and secondly, others say that Cyrus reigned after he came to the Empire thirty years, to which if we add the eight year of Cambyses his son, and two years of the usurpation of the Magi, as some account, then the sixth year of Darius Hystaspes, makes six and forty years; and if it could be made good out of those that have written the history of these times, that Cyrus reigned so long after he came to the Empire, this answer would fully satisfy.

Vers. 18. As it is written in the book of Moses.] Because Ezra alledgeth here the book of Moses, it may hence appear, that not Ezra (as some have said) but Moses himself did write those five first books of the Scripture, commonly called the books of Moses.

Vers. 21. And all such as had separated themselves unto them, &c.] That is, such as were become proselytes.

Vers. 22. For the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them.] That is, the king of Persia: for since the conquest of the Assyrians by Cyrus, even the Persian kings were also called kings of Assyria, as were before the kings of Babylon, 2. Chron. 33.11. and this phrase of turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them, hath respect either to the hatred of the former kings of Assyria, who did at first subdue the Jews, and carried them captive into Babylon, or else to the late displeasure of Cambyses, who had opposed the rebuilding of the Temple all his time; in his reign their enemies prevailed, and they could not be heard, but now the Lord had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to favor them, according to that, Prov. 21.1. The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will.

CHAP. VII.

Vers. 1. IN the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, &c.] This Artaxerxes, in whose reign Ezra went up from Babylon to Jerusalem, was the same that was mentioned before, chap. 6.14. And the Elders of the Jews built, and they prospered, &c. according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia, where it is noted as most probable that it was Artaxerxes Longimanus the son of Zerxes, and in whose time also some thirteen years after this Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem, Neh. 2.1. at which time Ezra was still living, Neh. 8.1. and whereas it is said that Ezra was the son of Seraiah, the meaning is, that he was the grandchild of Seraiah, for Seraiah was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, 2. Kings 25.18, 21. and therefore if Ezra had been his immediate son, he was born before the captivity, which hath no show of probability, considering how many years passed betwixt the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar, and the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus.

Vers. 3. The son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth.] Betwixt Azariah and Meraioth there are six generations more expressed, 1. Chron. 6.7—10. which are here omitted, to wit, Johanan, Azariah, Ahimaaz, Zadok, Ahitub, and Amasiah; which was done doubtless only for brevities sake, the drift of this catalogue being only to show that Ezra was of the stock of Aaron: but why these were left out rather than others, there cannot I think any sure reason be given.

Vers. 6. This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses.] That is, an acute learned and ready expounder of the law, not only by writing but also by words of mouth, according to that expression of the Psalmist, Psal. 45.1. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer: for the same that is called by Mark a scribe, Mark 12.28. And one of the scribes came, and heard them reasoning together, and asked him which is the first commandment, is called by Matthew a lawyer or a doctor of the law, Matth. 22.35, 36. Then one of them which was a lawyer a • ked him a question, &c. saying, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? so that it seems as amongst the Grecians their great wise and learned men were called Philosophers, and amongst the Chaldeans Magi, so amongst the Jews their great Doctors were called Scribes.

Vers. 7. And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, &c.] Of those that hitherto had stayed in Babylon and Assyria, and went not up at first with Zerubbabel, there did some now go up with Ezra in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, which was about fifty eight years after the sixth year of Darius mentioned chap. 6.15. (if it be meant of Artaxerxes Longimanus) for Darius lived after that thirty years, Xerxes his son one and twenty years, and after him succeeded this Artaxerxes.

Vers. 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.] That is, the chief aim of his journey was to instruct the people, and to reform those things that were out of order amongst them, and accordingly the Lord prospered his journey; but withal observable it is, how these three particulars are here joined together, to wit, that he had prepared his heart, first, to seek the law of the Lord: that is, to endeavor to understand the law of God; secondly, to do it, that is, to yield obedience thereto in his own particular; and thirdly, To teach in Israel statutes and judgments; that is, to instruct the people also in the laws of the Lord.

Vers. 14. Thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, &c.] The Emperors of Persia had always seven chief princes, which were over all the rest and next unto the king; of these Darius the son of Hystaspes was one, and by them he was chosen Emperor, Cambyses the son of Cyrus being dead, and the usurping Magus being discovered and slain; and so likewise there is mention again made of them, Esther 1.14. Now hence it is said that Ezra was sent of the king, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law; that is, to make enquiry whether all things were done amongst them according to the rule and direction of God's law.

Vers. 16. And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, &c.] To wit, say some Expositors, that belongs to the Temple at Jerusalem; but others understand this clause of the silver and gold which Ezra could gather among the several subjects of the king of Babylon, from whom Ezra had power by virtue of this clause in his commission to receive what they would freely contribute, as well as from his brethren the Jews; of whom the next clause is added, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests.

Vers. 18. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren, &c.] To wit, the rest of the priests.

Vers. 22. And salt without prescribing how much.] Because they used salt, yea perhaps much salt in all their sacrifices, Levite. 2.13. And every oblation of the meat offering shalt thou season with salt, &c. and so Mark 9.49. For every sacrifice shall be salted with salt: and withal, because it was a commodity not so costly as the rest, therefore there was no measure appointed for that, but the kings treasurers were to allow them as much salt as they would require.

Vers. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, &c.] Which was more then the Jews were allowed to do when the Romans were their lords, John 18.31. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.

Vers. 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the kings heart, &c.] These are Ezra his words, and here the Hebrew begins again in the original books.

CHAP. VIII.

Vers. 2. OF the sons of David, Hattush.] It may be this is that Hattush of the stock of David, mentioned 1. Chron. 3.20.

Vers. 3. Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh, &c.] This clause of the sons of Pharosh is added, to distinguish this Shechaniah from the other mentioned verse. 5. As for the several numbers here mentioned of those that went with Ezra (besides such as are expressed by name) they make one thousand four hundred ninety and six, to wit, males besides women.

Vers. 13. And of the last sons of Adonikam, &c.] These here mentioned are said to be of the last sons of Adonikam, either because they come now at last with Ezra out of Babylon, whereas other of the sons of Adonikam, went away before with Zerubbabel, chap. 2.13. or else because they were descended of the youngest and last born sons of Adonikam.

Vers. 15. And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava, &c.] Ahava was itself a river, verse. 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava: this place therefore where they assembled together, as the first place for their randezvous from all parts, was where either Euphrates (or some other river) and the river Ahava met together, as indeed Babylon was a country full of rivers, Psalm 137.1. By the waters of Babylon we sat down, &c. and here they abode in tents three days, waiting to see whether anymore of their brethren would come thither to them.

And I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.] That is, none saving such as were priests, no Levites: that therefore which was said before, chap. 7.3. there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and of the Levites▪ &c. was spoken with reference to the Levites that were now sent for by Ezra and came accordingly.

Vers. 16. Then sent I for Eliezer, &c.] That which is here noted by way of distinction concerning these eleven men whom Ezra chose to send unto Iddo for Levites, to wit, that the first nine were chief men, and the two last Jarib and Elnathan were men of understanding, may well I conceive be thus understood, that the first nine were of the chiefest rank and dignity amongst them, princes or heads of families, and the other two were men of special note for their wisdom, learning, and eloquence, and therefore picked out for the well managing that great business that they had now in hand.

Vers. 47. And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief, at the place Casiphia, &c.] Because he had special use of the Levites, to wit, to help in that which was the chief business of his journey, the instructing of the people in the law of God, and the reforming of those things he should find out of order amongst them, according to the rule and direction of the law; when he found that there was none of the Levites amongst those that were going up with him, he dispatched certain messengers to a place called Casiphia, where he knew there were many Levites, and Iddo was the chief magistrate there, or else they were trained up in the knowledge of the law (as in a College) under Iddo their chief doctor and president, to desire him that he would send them certain Levites to go up with him to Jerusalem, that they might assist him in that work which he had now undertaken. Where this Casiphia was we cannot say, only this we may say, that because these messengers went thither and came back with the Levites and Nethinims, which Iddo sent him within the compass of so few days (for Ezra begun his journey upon the first day of the first month, chap, 7.9. upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, &c. and went away from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, as is expressed verse. 21. Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, &c.) it is not probable that by Casiphia is meant as some conceive the Caspian mountains, which were in the furthest part of Media, betwixt Armenia and Hyrcania.

Vers. 18. They brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, &c.] That is the grandchild of Levi, Exod. 6.16.19.

Vers. 20. Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, &c.] Because the Gibeonites were appointed for the service of the Levites by Joshua, long before David's time, and were thence called Nethinims, that is, men given to God; therefore some Expositors conceive, that David did add to the Nethinims, others that were not of the Gibeonites: but there is no necessity why we should thus understand this place: for it may well be that the Gibeonites were those Nethinims of whom it is said here, that David and the princes had appointed them for the service of the Levites; and that because though Joshua did first design them to this service, yet David did confirm them therein, and perhaps gave some special orders for the manner of their attendance.

Vers. 24. Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them.] That is, together with twelve of the chief of the priests, I separated twelve of the Levites, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, &c. to wit, the Levites above mentioned, verse. 18, 19. that were sent from Iddo, and these were joined with the priests in this care of taking charge of these holy things, to see that nothing were lost by the way, as they carried them from Babylon to Jerusalem.

CHAP. IX.

Vers, 1. THe princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves, &c.] It being well known that the principal cause of Ezraes coming was to reform such abuses as were crept in amongst them contrary to the law; some of the princes that were best affected came presently to him, and informed him of this, as one of the most heinous evils tolerated amongst them; to wit, that not the people only but the princes also, yea, the priests and Levites that could not pretend ignorance of the law, had married wives of those idolatrous nations their neighbors about them, and so also were tainted by that means in many things with their abominations: Some Expositors conceive, that this was done before their return out of Babylon; and indeed though these nations here mentioned, the Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, &c. dwelt far from Babylon, yet we must consider, that many of them were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar as the Jews were, Jerem. 25.9. Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against all these nations round about: But I rather think they had fallen into this sin since their return from Babylon, being sore corrupted with a very little rest, as Exra implieth in his prayer, verse. 8—10. however not only single persons but even those that were married offended herein, to the great vexation of their former wives, Mal. 2.11, 13. Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god—And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, &c. which is meant of the tears of their first wives; and so far was this corruption spread at present, that amongst others, even the sons of Joshua the son of Jozadak were in the transgression, chap. 10.18. And among the sons of the priests there were found that had strange wives, namely, of the sons of Joshua the son of Jozadak.

Vers. 2. The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.] That is, they which should have restrained the people from this wickedness have had the chiefest hand in it, to wit, as having been boldest in this transgression, and ringleaders to the rest of the people.

Vers. 3, I rent my garment, and my mantle, &c.] That is, both the coat that was girded close to his body, and the loose mantle which he wore over that, and this doubtless is thus expressed, to show how passionately grieved and offended he was to hear that his brethren had thus grossly transgressed the law of God. Concerning this custom of rending their garments, see Gen. 37.20.

Vers. 4. Then were assembled unto me everyone that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, &c.] It seems the report being quickly carried about, how mightily Ezra was afflicted and displeased, when he heard how his brethren had taken wives of the idolatrous nations; so many of the godly inhabitants that heard of it, being themselves afraid of the judgments of God threatened in his word, came presently in to him, partly to comfort him, and partly to advise with him what was fit to be done; which is the rather here inserted, to make way to that which follows (which is added yet further, to set forth how mightily he was troubled with these tidings) And I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice: though the brethren came in, it is like to comfort him, yet neither there presence nor anything they could say, did any whit move him, but till the evening sacrifice there he sat amongst them, like one that had neither life nor soul in him; so overwhelmed he was with grief and astonishment at that which had been told him.

Vers. 5. Having rent my garment, and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, &c.] That is, having before rent my garments, verse. 3. in that sad plight I fell down upon my knees before the people, and prayed unto the Lord.

Vers 6. Our iniquities are increased over our head, &c.] That is, they are innumerable, we are even drowned over head and ears in sin; the expression is much like that, Psalm 38.4. mine iniquities are gone over my head, and to the same purpose is the next clause also, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens, that is, it is as great as may be, and such as must needs make a loud cry in the heavens for judgment to be poured forth upon us.

Vers. 7. As it is this day.] Having said that they had been delivered to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, he adds, as it is this day, because some of them were still in captivity, and the rest that were returned, were in a low and sad condition, and lay under a great deal of shame and reproach.

Vers. 8. And now for a little space grace hath been shown from the Lord our God, &c.] This is added as an aggravation of their sin, that having been but a while freed from those punishments which their former sins had brought upon them, they should so soon venture to expose themselves to God's displeasure.

To leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, &c.] In these words Ezra showeth wherein grace had been shown them from the Lord their God, to wit, first, in that he had left them a remnant to escape, whereas he might justly have destroyed them all, he had preserved a seed a remnant that were delivered out of their captivity, and brought back again into their own country: Secondly, that he had given them a nail in his holy place, whereby it meant either that God had given them a prince of their own nation, to wit, Zerubbabel (for the princes and magistrates are compared to pins and nails, because the safety of their kingdom depends upon them, and the good success of their great affairs, rest much upon their wisdom and care; whence is that which the Lord saith of Eliakim, Isaiah 22.23, 24. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, &c. and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house: or else that he had given them some prop and support of their faith and hope, something that might encourage them to wait for some better days then yet they had seen; or else rather that he had in some measure settled them again, and given them a resting place in his holy land, city, and Temple: the metaphor is taken from the pins and nails wherewith they used to fasten the cords of their tents in the earth when they went to pitch their tents, as intending to abide a while in that place; or else from those nails wherewith we use to fasten anything and which we strike into our walls to hang, things upon.

That our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.] To wit, by refreshing our hearts, according to that which is said of Jonathan, when in his faintness he was refreshed with eating a little honey, 1. Sam. 14.29. See I pray you how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey: or by restoring us to life, who were in our slavery and captivity in Babylon, as men dead and buried. Ezek. 37.12. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Vers. 9. To set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, &c.] Two particulars are here mentioned, wherein Ezra acknowledged that God had intended mercy to them in the sight of the kings of Persia, and wherewith he had thereupon revived their hearts, as it is said in the foregoing words, to wit, First, that they had liberty given them to set up the house of God, and to repair the desolations thereof; where, by repairing the desolations of God's house is meant, both the repairing of the Temples ruins, and also principally, the renewing of the joyful assemblies of God's people, and the sacred employments of his worship and service there: And secondly, that there was given them a wall in Judah and Jerusalem, that is some protection and defense against their enemies, as a wall or pen to a flock of sheep. The walls of Jerusalem were not yet built, and therefore it cannot be meant of them, but by the wall given them, is meant the fencing of them from dangers, partly by the king of Persias favor, who had granted them his royal protection against those enemies that formerly would not suffer them to proceed in building the house of their God, and partly by God's awing their spirits, that they durst not oppose what the king had commanded.

Vers. 10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? &c.] That is, after this great goodness and mercy thou hast shown unto us, what shall we say, that notwithstanding all this we should again forsake thy commandments as we have done?

Vers. 15. O Lord God of Israel thou art righteous, for we remained yet escaped, as it is this day, &c.] Either the drift of these words is to show that continuing in this condition they were now in, they could expect no other, but to be utterly destroyed; and that because God was righteous though he had spared them, and they stood guilty of a gross sin: or else, in this conclusion of his prayer, Ezra justifies God, and lays all the blame upon themselves; so intimating, that all their hope was in his goodness and mercy, and readiness to forgive poor penitent sinners: as if he should have said, O Lord thou art righteous in all thy dealing with us, what thou hast inflicted upon us hath been justly inflicted; yea of thine own mercy, and according to thy righteousness and faithfulness in performing thy gracious promises, thou hast reserved a remnant of us: But as for us we are here before thee, waiting indeed for thy mercy, but in our sins, and so deserving to be destroyed; for even because of this wickedness which lieth upon us, if thou shouldest enter into judgment with us, we are not able to stand it out and to abide the trial.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. THere assembled unto him out of Israel, a very great congregation, &c.] Ezra having in public before the Temple, to wit, in the outer court manifested such wonderful affliction of mind, and sorrow for the sins of the people by rending his garments, yea, the hair of his head and beard, casting himself groveling upon the ground, weeping and wailing, calling and crying upon God for mercy, as a man astonished and distracted with grief, and that no doubt purposely to discover to the people the grievousness of their sin, and the danger they were in because thereof; the noise hereof was soon carried throughout the city, and presently there came in to him of those that were afraid of those judgments threatened in the word of God against them for this sin, some few at first, chap. 9.4. but now at last a very great assembly of them, who being affected with Ezraes grievous lamentation, did also weep very sore with him.

Vers. 2. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.] That is, there is hope that God may be reconciled to the people that are called by his name, if we use the means that he hath appointed; namely, if we believe, and repent, and forsake our sins, and put away the strange wives that are amongst us, and this too, there is great hope the people will be won to do.

Vers. 3. Let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, &c.] This is the course which Shechaniah propounds to Ezra for the pacifying of God's wrath: namely, that they should put away their strange wives and the children that were born of them; and two particulars he adds concerning the manner of doing this, that Ezra might the readily approve of it; to wit, first, that it should be commended to the people by the advice of Ezra, and those other godly Israelites that were now assembled to him, which we have in those words; according to the counsel of my Lord, and those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and thus he intimates too for Ezraes encouragement, that those that were religiously affected, & were afraid of God's judgments because of this sin, would willingly join in promoting this work: and secondly, that they should manage this great business, according to the warrant & direction of God's Law; and let it be done according to the Law: and hereby I conceive it is evident, that where the Law did forbid the Jews to marry any infidel remaining an infidel, as Deut. 7.3. and Exod. 34.16. it did also by necessary consequence enjoin those that had married such wives, to put them away, and in some sense their children also. Indeed the judgment of Expositors is different conerning their way of doing this: for some conceive that their wives were put away as no lawful wives, because their marrying them was not warrantable by God's Law: and again, others think that they were put away by bills of divorce, which they say was principally intended in that clause, and let it be done according to the Law. But now for their children born of such wives, though some conceive that they also were cast off as illegitimate, and born by unlawful copulation, and turned out of their families, the rather that the sight of them might not by degrees win them to receive back their mothers again; yet this I can by no means approve, for though it should be granted that such children were to be esteemed as bastards, yet surely their fathers were to provide for them; and therefore by putting away the children born of such wives, nothing else is meant, but that they were declared no true free-born members of the people of Israel; which may be confirmed by this, that in Nehemiah's reformation, that place Deut. 23.3. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord: is alleged as the ground why they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude, Neh. 13.1.3. concerning which, see the notes there; and questionless the parents of these children maintained and brought them up, and took care that they might be instructed in the truth, to the end, that afterwards as Proselytes they might be joined to the people of God; but however, that this at the most was but a part of Moses polity, a Law not in force now, many gather from that of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 7.12, 13. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, &c. and again, 1. Pet. 3.1. Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.

Vers. 6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib.] Eliashib was the son of Joiakim, and grandchild of Jeshua the high priest, Neh. 12.10. And Jeshua begat Joiakim, and Joiakim begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada: and was himself high priest in Nehemiah's time, Neh. 3.1. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, &c.] Johanan therefore his son, was doubtless of chief account amongst the priests at this time; and for this cause it seems Ezra went into his chamber, that there with the princes he might consult how to effect that reformation to which the forementioned assembly had sworn to yield.

Vers. 8. All his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation, &c.] That is, excommunicated from the number of God's people, and this was the punishment denounced against those that would not come to the assembly that Ezra had called.

Vers. 9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin, gathered themselves together, &c.] That is, all that inhabited in the land of Judah and Benjamin, for there were many of the ten tribes that were come from Babylon, chap. 1.5. who doubtless came now to this meeting together with those of Judah and Benjamin.

It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month, &c.] Which was about the beginning of our December, a time usually of much cold and rain, and thence is that which follows, And all the people sat in the streets of the house of God: that is, in the place of the outer court, which was it may be not yet walled in, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Vers. 12. Then all tht congregation answered, and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.] Yet within a few years they returned to this there vomit again.

Vers. 14. Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, &c.] That is, let the supreme rulers of all Israel, to wit, the Sanhedrim be appointed to sit daily here in Jerusalem, for the hearing of this business; namely, who they were that had married strange wives that had not embraced the faith of Israel, or that were since their marriage relapsed to idolatry, and let those that are found guilty in every city, be brought hither in their turns to appear before them, and with them the Elders and judges of every city to testify against them, and to make affidavit, that upon diligent search and enquiry made, these and these only have been found guilty, and so let the business be dispatched first with the inhabitants of one city, and then with another until at length all the strange wives be put away, and so the fierce wrath of our God may be turned away from us.

Vers. 15. Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah, were employed about this matter, &c.] To wit, besides those mentioned, verse. 14. the rulers of all the congregation, which is in Jerusalem to sit in judgment, and the Elders and judges in every city, who used after diligent search made, to bring those they found faulty before them, and the other rulers in Jerusalem; these four here mentioned were it seems chosen for this particular business in hand, either to join with that high Senate in Jerusalem; or else as officers to give order and direction for the managing of this matter in their several cities, or to prepare and fit business for the hearing of the rulers, and two of these were Levites, that if any doubtful case happened, they might inform them what the meaning of the Law in that case was.

Vers. 17. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives, by the first day of the first month.] And so were three whole months employed about it: for they begin to sit about this business the first day of the tenth month, as it is said in the foregoing verse.

Vers. 18, And among the sons of the priests, there were found that had taken strange wives; namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak.] Who was the high priest.

Vers. 19. And being guilty, the offered a ram of their flock for the trespass.] The like must be understood also of the rest, though of each it be not expressed.

Vers. 20. And of the sons of Immer, &c.] These mentioned in the three following verses were also priests.

Vers. 23. Also of the Levites; Jozabad, &c.] That is, the Levites that ministered to the priests, for the singers and porters who were also Levites, are named in the following verse.

Vers. 44. And some of them had wives by whom they had children.] As if he should have said, and yet for all that they were put away.

CHAP. I.

T He words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.] That is, Nehemiah's relation of those things which he did, to wit, for the city Jerusalem and for the people of God: for as in the former book we have the relation of the building of the Temple; so in this we have the relation of the building of the city: And that Nehemiah penned this book is evident, as by this title, so also by this, that throughout the book he speaks usually of himself in the first person, ( I Nehemiah &c.) and not in the third.

In the month of Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, &c.] Chisleu was their ninth month, containing part of our November and December; which is therefore observable, because hereby it appears that Hanani and his brethren, that were come now into Persia to Nehemiah, undertook their journey upon some business, as is most likely, for the good of the Church and people of God, even in the depth of winter: By the twentieth year here mentioned, is meant the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, for so much is expressed, chap. 2.1. And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king &c. and that it was Artaxerxes Mnemon, or rather that Artaxerxes who is called Longimanus or Longhand, because one of his hands was longer then the other, the same in whose seventh year Ezra went down to Jerusalem, as is noted. Ezra 7.1. and not Xerxes as some would have it; we may the rather think, because there is mention made of the two and thirtieth year of this Artaxerxes, chap. 13.6. whereas no historians reckon above one and twenty years of the reign of Xerxes. As for the palace of Shushan, where Nehemiah was when Hanani and his brethren came to him, thereby is meant the palace of the city Shushan, for Shushan was one of the chief cities in Persia, Esther 3.15. The city Shushan was perplexed, and Hanani being one of the kings officers lived with him in the palace; yet it may be the palace was peculiarly called Shushan, as the city also was.

Vers. 3. The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction and reproach, &c.] That is, their neighbors round about them do exceedingly despise them and wrong them; to which these Jews add as the reason of this, the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire, that is, as Nebuchadnezzar left them long ago, so they still continue; and this makes the enemies proudly to insult over them, and disables them to defend themselves against them: Some conceive thas Ezra had built the walls, and that the neighbouring nations had since done this mischief; but then it is likely they would have burnt the whole city, if not the Temple too.

Vers. 4. I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven. That is, as prostrating himself in God's presence and happily with his face toward the Temple the place of God's presence, according to that 1 Kings 8.44. If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name, and Dan. 6.10. He went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed.

Vers. 7. And have not kept the commandments nor the statutes nor the judgments, &c.] That is, neither the moral, ceremonial, nor judicial laws.

Vers. 9. Though there were of you cast out into the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence.] The meaning of these words is, that though they were scattercd to the remotest parts of the earth, yet God would bring them back from thence; but because at the utmost extent of so much of the earth as man's eye can at any time see, the heavens seem to touch the earth, and to cover it round about, as with a half globe, hence is this expression of being cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven.

Vers. 11. Prosper I pray thee thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.] That is, Artaxerxes, who was but a man though a king, and therefore his heart was in God's hand, as other men's are.

For I was the kings cup-bearer.] This he adds, to show what interest he had in the king, to encourage him to move the king in this business.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. ANd it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, &c.] Nisan was their first month; this therefore was some four months after he first hard by Hanani of the distress of his brethren in Jerusalem, which was in the month of Chisleu, the ninth month, chap. 1.1. all which time it seemeth, he continued weeping, and fasting, and praying, waiting till his turn came of attending in the court, in his office of cup-bearer; for that this was the cause of his so long silence, is me thinks evident: First, because had he all this while ministered to the king, it is likely the king would have discerned his sadness and heaviness before this time: And secondly, because he would doubtless before this have made known his request to the king. This month Nisan contained part of our March and part of April; whence it appears that Nehemiah's journey was in the spring of the year.

Vers. 2. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad? &c.] And indeed if we consider that his sorrow and grief for the sad estate of his brethren, had been so long a time accompanied with much watching and fasting and prayer, it is no wonder thought the king presently discerned the alteration of his countenance, from that it had formerly wont to be.

Then I was very sore afraid.] To wit, lest the king should suspect some evil or treacherous purpose fostered in his heart, in which case guiltiness of conscience doth usually distract the mind, and make the countenance pale and wan: (and therefore perhaps it was that he answered presently, verse. 3. Let the king live forever, not only because it was the usual form of salutation when they were to speak to kings, but also because he desired to assure him of his faithful intentions towards him) or else rather, lest being pressed to discover the ground of his sorrow in such a public presence (for the queen was by, verse. 6. and therefore many also of his princes and nobles) if he should make no answer that might increase their jealousy of him, and if he should make known the cause of his grief, he might well doubt how his request would be taken, either by the king or his courtiers, or what inconveniences might follow thereupon; for both the greatness of the request he had to make, and the majesty of the king might in these regards be dreadful to him. To this some add also, that he might fear the kings displeasure, because it was not lawful for any mourner to come into the presence of the kings of Persia: and indeed it is, said, Esther 4.2. That none might enter into the kings gates clothed with sackeloth; but whether it can be hence inferred that none that were heavy and sad might stand before the king, it may well be questioned.

Vers. 3. Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city the place of my fathers sepulchers lieth waste, &c.] That is, the city where they lived and died: This argument taken from natural compassion, was most like to prevail with an heathen king.

Vers. 5. If it please the king, and if thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, &c. Hereby he seeks to intimate to the king, that it was his former favor to him that emboldened him to make this request, and that he desired it with a resolution however to submit to his will, and only sought it so far as he should like well of the motion, to approve it as reasonable and fitting.

Vers. 6. And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him) For how long, &c.] The queens sitting by is mentioned, not only because the relation of such particular circumstances, are good proofs of the truth of that which is related, but also happily to intimate that she was one that favored Nehemiah, and did what she might to further his suit; which hath made some Expositors conceive that this was Esther the wife of Ahasuerus, but however in this question which the king propounded to Nehemiah, For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou rerurn? he discovered his love to him, and that he was loath he should be too long absent from him.

And I set him a time.] Some Expositors conceive that the time he prefixed for his return was after twelve years, because it is evident that so long he was governor of the province of Judea under Artaxerxes, to wit, chap. 5.14. From the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, which is twelve years, &c. but first, because the king demanding when he would return, as being loath he should be too long from him, it is not probable he would prefix so long a time: and secondly, because the building of the walls of Jerusalem, the work for which chiefly he now went, was finished in less then two months, chap. 6.15. in fifty and two days, more probable it is that at present he set a shorter time, when accordingly he did return; but then went again with commission of being governor there, and was their governor twelve years, though happily in that time also he often went to Artaxerxes into Persia.

Vers. 7. Let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river; that they may convey me over till I come into Judah.] This Ezra would not desire when he went to Jerusalem, because they had then occasionally spoken to the king of the providence of their God over those that served him; and therefore if he had desired a guard of soldiers, he suspected they would have derided his former boasting in God's defense and protection, Ezra 8.22. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him. But now Nehemiah not suspecting any such thing, nor having happily that cause to suspect it, required a safe conduct, and that no doubt lawfully.

Vers. 8. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the kings forest, that he may give me timber, &c.] This forest of the kings out of which Nehemiah desired timber, was doubtless the forest of Lebanon, out of which Solomon had formerly his timber, 1. Kings 5.6. and this timber he desired was for beams; first, for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, that is, the Temple; whereby either the building about the outward court is meant (for though the Temple was finished before, yet happily the gates and towers that belonged thereto were not set up,) or else rather, the palace, wherein formerly the kings of Judah dwelt, which was in a manner joined to the Temple, and therefore may here be called the palace that appertained to the house: and secondly, for the wall of the city, that is, the gates in several parts of the wall: and thirdly, for a dwelling house for himself, for the house, saith Nehemiah, that I shall enter into.

Vers. 9. Now the king had sent the captains of the army, and horsemen with me.] To wit, to conduct him safe to the river Euphrates; from whence afterward he was by the governors beyond the river, conveyed to Jerusalem.

Vers. 10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant heard of it, &c.] Sanballat is called the Horonite, as it is thought, because he was the deputy Lieutenant of the Moabites: for Horonaim was a chief city in the land of Moab, Isaiah 15.5. My heart shall cry out for Moab, &c. for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction: and Jerem. 48.3, 4. A voice of crying shall be from Horanaim, spoiling, and great destruction; Moab is destroyed, &c. and Tobiah is called the servant the Ammonite, either because he had been a servant, a slave, however now he was in high place and esteem; or else, because now he was now the deputy Lieutenant, the kings vassal or servant, amongst the Ammonites: Now this Tobiah because his wife was a Jewish, had ever and anon advertisement of their affairs, and so wrought them great trouble.

Vers. 11. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.] That is, so long he rested himself after his journey. The like is noted of Ezra, Ezra 8.31, 32.

Vers. 12. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me, neither told I any man, &c.] To wit, that he might view the ruins of the walls round about, and the circuit of the city, and so might consider, what likelihood there was, that they should go be able to go through with the work, what provision it was fit should be made for the accomplishment thereof, and what places were most necessary to be first, and with most speed repaired: all which he desired to be informed of with all secrecy, before anybody knew of his purpose, that he might be the better able to answer anything objected, when it was propounded; and that there might be no talk of it till they were ready to set upon it, lest the enemies should do anything to hinder them.

Neither was there any beast with me save the beast that I rode upon.] To wit, purposely to avoid noise.

Vers. 13. And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, &c.] Here the manner of Nehemiah's going about the city is described, to wit, that taking advantage of the night for the greater secrecy, as is before said (and a moonshinie night it must needs be; for else he could not have seen in what condition the walls were) first he went out at the gate of the valley, which was before the Dragon well (so called as we may probably conceive, because of some statue of a Dragon there made, out of the mouth whereof the water came running out) and this some take to be the gate on the east-side of the city that led to the valley of Jehoshaphat, mentioned Joel 3.2. and others the western-gate, which was near to the valley of dead bodies, of which the Prophet speaks Jer. 31.40. and secondly, that from thence he went to the dung-port, that is, the gate through which they carried the dung out of the city.

Vers. 14. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the kings pool.] That is, to the gate which led to the fountain of Gihon, that ran into the kings pool, that is, the pool of Siloah, or Siloam, as it is called, John 9.11. for the gate of the fountain and the pool of Siloah are joined together, chap. 3.15▪ But the gates of the fountain repaired Shallum, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the kings garden: and it was it seems called the kings pool, either because it joined to the kings gardens, chap. 3.15. or rather because it was made by Hezekiah when he turned the water course of Gihon thither, and so from thence into the city, 2. Chron. 32.30. Hezekiah also stopped the water course of Gihon, and brought it straight down on the west-side of the city of David.

Vers. 15. And turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned] Out of which he went first, verse. 13. so that he either went round about the city; or else, not finding the way passable when he came to the kings pool, he turned back the same way he came, and so went again into the city to his lodgings.

Vers. 16. Nether 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.] That is, the workmen that were afterward employed in the work, he did not so much as carry them with him to ask their advice.

Vers. 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, &c.] To Sanballat and Tobiah, mentioned before, verse. 10. here is another added that joined with them in opposing Nehemiah, to wit, Geshem the Arabian, that is, the king of Persias deputy lieutenant amongst the Arabians; and though it be said in the following words, that they charged them with an intent of rebelling against the king of Persia: What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? yet because it is also said here before, that they laughed them to scorn & despised them; therefore some Expositors understand those words as spoken in a scoffing manner, and as it were to imply that they had undertaken a work, which poor wretches they would not be able to effect, and wherein they should be able to hinder them well enough.

Vers. 20. But you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.] That is, you are appointed governors in other countries; and besides you have no interest in us or in Jerusalem: neither is there any memorial of you or your progenitors to be found among us, and why then do you intermeddle with that which belongs not to you?

CHAP. III.

Vers. 1. THen Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the sheep-gate, &c.] Eliashib was the son of Joiakim, and grandchild of that Jeshua, who went up at first from Babylon with Zerubbabel; and so being now high priest, with his brethren the priests he undertook the building of the sheep-gate; and that because this gate either joined to the Temple, or was near to it, and was so called from the sheep-market, which for the conveniency of the Temple was near to it; as was also the sheep-pool, called Bethesda, John. 5.2. where the sheep were washed appointed for sacrifices, before they were brought into the Temple. As for these following words, they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it, the meaning is, that first they cleared it from the rubbish and ruins wherein it lay: secondly, that they repaired it, and raised it up again in its former beauty and splendor: and thirdly, having finished it they did then by prayer dedicate it to the Lord, and in it, as the first fruits, all the rest of the building, desiring him to uphold and maintain it against all the adversaries of Judah and Jerusalem. Indeed to this some add that it was also sanctified by the priests working upon it, in regard whereof it gained the more respect: but though I doubt not but some of the priests might put their hand to some part of the work, out of their zeal to the service, and for the encouragement of the people; yet I conceive both here and elsewhere in this chapter the building of the gates and wall is ascribed to those that bore the charge of the work, that did not work themselves, but at most did only oversee it, and take care that it was done: and this the priests did not only for the sheep gate itself, but also for a good part of the wall adjoining even to the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel, where by the tower of Meah is meant a tower not far from the sheep-gate, so called as is thought, because it had an hundred pinnacles, or was an hundred cubits high, or some such like reason (for Meah signifies an hundred ) and by the tower of Hananeel a tower further northward, mentioned again Zach. 14.10.

Vers. 3. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build] This was doubtless on the northwest of Jerusalem in the city of David, towards the sea, as appears also by that which is said of Manasseh, 2. Chron. 33.14. He built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon in the valley, even to the entering in of the fish gate, &c. It was called the fish gate, because they brought in their fish from the sea coasts of Tyre and Sidon at that gate, according to that, chap. 13.16. There dwelt men of Tyre therein which also brought fish, &c. and had happily their market for the selling of their fish not far from it: it is mentioned again, Zeph. 1.10, There shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate.

Vers. 5. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired, &c.] That is, some of the inhabitants of Tekoa, for other of them also repaired in another place, as it is expressed afterward, verse. 27. but yet it was only the common people amongst them that did what was done; for concerning their nobles, there is a clause of exception added, but the nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord, that is, the nobles would not do any service herein to their Lord the God of Israel, because their arrogancy in regard of their greatness was the cause of their refusing their help in this work, as pretending they would not be taxed, nor have any such burden imposed upon them: their folly is noted herein, that they refused to put their necks to his work, who is the nobles Lord as well as the common people's.

Vers. 6. Moreover, the old gate repaired Jehoiada.] So called happily because it was the oldest of all the gates in Jerusalem; and this was also, as is generally held, on the north-side of Jerusalem.

Vers. 7. And next unto them repaired Melatiah, &c. unto the throne of the governor on this side the river.] It seems there was formerly in this part of the wall a palace or place of judicature, where those that were appointed governors under the Babylonian and Persian kings over all the country on this side Euphrates, did use to sit in judgment; unto which place these men of Gibeah and Mizpah and others here mentioned did repair the wall: and that palace where had been the throne of the governor, some Expositors conceive, was repaired by Nehemiah and his servants (he being now governor of Judea) whence are those expressions, chap. 4.16. The half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, &c. and 5.16. I continued in the work of this wall, &c.

Vers. 8. And they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.] That is, they repaired the wall unto that place where the wall was made much broader then in other places, and therefore called the broad wall; and so having brought the work so far, there they left off building, because here it was not ruined, and therefore needed no repairing; in which sense it may be read according to the translation noted in the margin, They left Jerusalem unto the broad wall.

Vers. 9. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.] For Jerusalem, being part in Judah and part in Benjamin, had accordingly two several rulers; and this Rephaiah was ruler of one of them, and Shallum, verse. 12. was ruler of the other.

Vers. 11. And Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.] That is, the next portion of the wall set out to be repaired, wherein also was the tower of the furnaces, so called happily, because either in the tower itself, or in the street adjoining there were many furnaces.

Vers. 12. Shallum the son of Haloesh the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.] See above, verse. 9.

Vers. 13. The valley gate repaired Hanun, &c.] See chap. 2.13.

Vers. 14. But the dung-gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab.] That is, of the famous family of the Rechabites.

Vers. 15. But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun.] See chap. 2.14.

Unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.] That is, from mount Zion (which was called the city of David) into the lower part of Jerusalem.

Vers. 16. After him repaired Nehemiah, &c.] Here begins the repairing of the wall about mount Zion, wherein stood the Temple and the palace of the kings of Judah; and the first part of this wall was repaired by one Nehemiah the son of Azbuck the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, and so as far as to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty; and by the pool that was made, is meant a pool not natural, but made by art, to wit, by Hezekiah, 2. Kings 20.20. yet this was not the pool of Siloah mentioned in the former verse (for that was happily a natural pool, and was in the lower part of Jerusalem) but another in mount Zion, called therefore the upper pool, 2. Kings 18.17. and by the house of the mighty, is meant some house built for David's worthies, or some house where the garrison soldiers for the city lay, or where youths were taught to handle their arms.

Vers. 17. After him repaired the Levites.] It may be, because the wall here was over against the Temple.

Vers. 19. The ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armory at the turning of the wall.] To wit, the city armoury, to which that place of Solomon's seemeth to allude, Cant. 4.4. Thy neck is like the tower of David built for an armoury: it is evident that the house of the forest of Lebanon, which Solomon built, was for many generations a magazine of arms for the kings of Judah (for thence is that, Isa. 22.8. Thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest ) and therefore it may be it was that house that is here meant; or if not so, it may be they had several arsenalls or armouries, one for the city armoury, and another for the kings magazine; or that this was some place where anciently there had been an armoury before the house of Lebanon was built.

Vers. 22. And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.] To wit, the men that inhabited the plain country about Jerusalem, 2. Sam. 2.28. chap. 12.28.

Vers. 24. Binnui the son of Henadad, another piece from the house of Azariah, unto the turning of the wall.] This is thought to be the turning of the wall from the south to the east.

Vers. 25. Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the kings high house, that was by the court of the prison.] Prisons have often courts and yards for the prisoners to walk in and refresh themselves, and so it seems had this; we see there is often mention of the court of the prison, whereinto they cast the Prophet Jeremiah, Jer. 38.7.13. and 32.2.

Vers. 26. The Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water-gate, &c.] By Ophel, or the tower, is meant that high tower spoken of in the former verse; and the gate here mentioned was, I conceive, called the water-gate; either because all the waters that came by water courses or pipes under ground into the city, came into one channel in some place near to this gate; or else, because there was some passage thereabouts to convey away the water that ran along in the several channells of the city. The work of the Nethinims was to carry wood and water to the Temple; and therefore it was the more convenient for them to dwell in Ophel, which was so nigh to the water gate.

Vers. 27. After them the Tekoites repaired.] See verse. 5. Some say they were the priests that dwelt in Tekoah.

Vers. 28. From above the horse-gate repaired the priests.] This horse-gate, which is said to have been towards the east, Jer. 31.40. was so called perhaps, because there were in that place some chief stables for horses, or some place where they practiced the art of horse riding, or because they went usually with their horses out of that gate to water them in the brook Kidron, or to breath them in the valley of Gehinnom: yet there was a gate also called by the same name in the kings palace as we may see, 2. Chron. 23.15. when she was come to the entering of the horse-gate by the kings house, &c. which is thus expressed, 2. Kings 11.16. and she went by the way by which the horses came into the kings house.

Vers. 29. After him repaired also Shemaiah, the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.] To wit, of the Temple.

Vers. 32. And between the going up of the corner into the sheep-gate, repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.] Concerning this sheep-gate, see verse, 1. there the description of this repairing the city wall began, and there it ends.

CHAP. IIII.

Vers. 2. ANd he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, &c.] That is, where ever he came among his own countrymen and people, or amongst his fellow governors of the neighbouring countries, and the garrison soldiers in Samaria, he inveighed against the attempt of the Jews, and that in a scoffing manner; to wit, either thereby to make known, that they need not be troubled about it, they should have time enough to hinder the work, unless they could hope to finish it in a day, (and so by God's providence the Jews were not opposed at first,) or else to incense them to take up arms against them, alleging that both their attempt was insufferably proud and dangerous, and also that the men that undertook it were weak and beggarly, such as might easily be resisted, What, saith he, do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? they would never surely undertake this work, if they did not think both to begin and finish it in a day, and so to offer up sacrifices, as they used to do at the dedication of any great building, when it was completely finished: and that because they may well assure themselves, if they be any longer while about it, their neighbors will soon gather themselves together, and hinder their fortifications; will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish that are burnt? as if he should have said, They can never effect this work (though there were nothing else to hinder them) even for want of materials, for want of stones; unless they hope to glue together their old stones again, which were knocked to pieces and burnt to powder, and so make stones of rubbish; which he calls reviving the stones out of the rubbish, to intimate that their attempt was as ridiculous and mad, as if they should undertake to revive and raise up a dead man out of the grave, that was already turned to dust and ashes.

Vers. 3. Even that which they built, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.] Because foxes use in the night to scrape through walls of earth, that they may come to their prey; Tobiah in these words, to scoff at the weakness of the walls which they could make in such haste, saith, that when they had done the most they could, if they did finish them, they would be so slightly done, that a fox might make a way through them, or scrape them down.

Vers. 4. Hear, O God, for we are despised, &c.] Thus spake Nehemiah when the reports of the scoffs of these adversaries was brought unto him.

And give them for a prey in the land of captivity.] Let them be carried away captives, and there made a prey to their enemies.

Vers. 5. And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee.] That is, let not their iniquity pass unpunished: for he doth not pray against their conversion, but desires the Lord, that in case they proceeded on in this their impiety, he would manifest his wrath by pouring his judgments upon them.

For they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.] That is, in reproaching the builders of thy city, employed by thy appointment, they have reproached thee: so that we desire them to be punished, not out of any private grudge or desire of revenge, but that thy glory may be vindicated.

Vers. 6. So built we the wall; and all the wail was joined together unto the half thereof.] That is unto the half height thereof.

Vers. 10. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish, &c.] That is, the men of Judah also began to murmur and complain, that by reason there was still so much rubbish, and the strength of the bearers of the burdens was so much decayed, they should never be able to go through with the work, at least not make it defensible, ere the enemies would set upon them; for if the trench about the wall, the chief help to keep off the enemy were not cleared of the rubbish, all they had done would be to no purpose.

Vers. 12. When the Jews that dwelt by them, came, they said unto us ten times, &c.] That is, oftentimes: see the note, Gen. 31.7. Though these Jews, that dwelt amongst the Samaritans, and those other neighbouring nations, that now banded together against the building of Jerusalem's walls, durst not join themselves with their brethren to help them in their work; yet secretly it seems some of them came to Jerusalem, to inform them of the conspiracy of their enemies against them. As for the intelligence they brought them, some conceive that the ways that led from Jerusalem to Samaria, are intended in those words: from all places whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you. But others, and I think more probably, understand it of all places about the city, from whence the builders of the wall should return into the city, where the Jews were when they gave them this intelligence, from all places whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you; that is, they will on a sudden beset the city, and assault it on every side; when you shall leave your work and return to us into the city, either to eat or to rest and refresh yourselves from the several places round about the city, where you are now employed in building the walls, on a sudden they will break in upon us.

Vers. 13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, &c.] That is, hearing by the consonant report of our brethren that came from several places, that our adversaries had a purpose to assault us, I caused the people to give over their work, and to arm themselves to keep off the enemy; and to that end I set some of them beneath behind the wall, and others above in the towers and other fortifications, to beat off the adversaries, and keep them from entering the city.

Vers. 15. We returned all of us to the wall, everyone unto his work.] That is, when the enemies, hearing that their purpose was discovered, gave over their intended invasion of the city, and so their counsel was brought to naught, we having notice thereof returned to our work; which was a while given over, that we might be in a readiness to withstand the enemies if they had come against us.

Vers. 16. The half of my servants wrought in the work, &c.] That is, though we returned to our work again, when we heard that the enemy had given over their plot of coming suddenly upon us to fight against us; yet after this we were the more careful to be in a readiness to resist them, lest they should again at some other time renew their conspiracy; to which end, first, there was never but half of my servants (that is my household servants and guard, or trained bands, whose captain Nehemiah was) employed in building the wall; the other half stood always ready armed to keep off the enemy if occasion should be: and secondly, even those that were employed in building were also always armed, as is expressed; verse. 17. They which built on the wall, and they that bare burdens with those that laded; everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

And the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.] To wit, to oversee them, and encourage them in their work, and sometimes perhaps when need was to help them too.

Vers. 17. Everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.] That is, even they also that wrought in the building were also always armed, ready at all assays to have joined with the rest in resisting the enemy if he had set upon them: literally this cannot be understood; for how could they build the wall or lay burdens upon the shoulders of those that bare them, and yet all the while hold their weapons in one of their hands? It is therefore a proverbial kind of speech, signifying only that whilst they were busiest in building, they had also their weapons ready at hand, to fight against the enemy if need were; for so Nehemiah explains this phrase in the following words. verse. 18. For the builders had everyone his sword girded by his side, &c.

Vers. 22. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, &c.] That is, he gave charge to the people that none of them should go out of the city to lodge, and that because he would have them always in a readiness to keep their turns, both of watching by night and of working by day.

Vers. 23. Saving that everyone put them off for washing.] To wit, either their garments or their bodies: for upon occasion of legal pollutions the Jews did wash their bodies often.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 2. THere were that said, We, our sons and our daughters are many: therefore we take up corn for them, &c.] That is, having a great charge of children, that which we earn will not maintain us; and therefore we are constrained, whilst we work for the public, to take up corn upon use of the nobles, and rulers, and rich men amongst us, to keep us from starving, and that by pawning or selline our children to them for servants, till we can redeem them; which we are never like to do, as is expressed, verse. 5. 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; so that we are in as bad or worse a condition, then when we were bondslaves in Babylon; and the having of many children, which is of itself a great blessing of God, is turned to us as a bitter curse.

Vers. 3. We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.] Even those that had not so great a charge of children were forced to mortgage their estates, because of the dearth that was amongst them.

Vers. 4. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the kings tribute, &c.] That is, though we had sufficient to sustain the charge of ourselves and families, yet not also to defray the tribute that was laid upon us; but even to pay that, we have been constrained to mortgage our lands and vineyards: for though the Jews had liberty given them to return from Babylon into their own country, yet they were to pay tribute there, as is evident, Ezra 4.13. If this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the king: and chap. 7.24. Also we certify you, that touching any of the Priests, and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom upon them.

Vers. 5. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children.] That is, we are reasonable creatures, as well as they, not beasts; yea Israelites of the seed and linage of Abraham as well as they, not heathens; though they use us as if we were not such.

Vers. 7. And I set a great assembly against them.] To wit, both of those that were oppressed, and those of the better sort in the congregation, that were not tainted with this sin: yea perhaps he called a general assembly of all the elders of Israel, that the sight of the multitude of those that cried out against them, and the hearing of so many of their brethren protesting against this which they had done, and Nehemiah's reproof in this public assembly, all this together might humble them the more, and make them even ashamed of the evil they had done; which was according to that the Apostle adviseth concerning public offenses, 1. Tim. 5.20. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

Vers. 8. We, after our ability, have redeemed our brethren, &c.] That is, we have done what in us lay to free our brethren from their bondage in Babylon, and will you make them bondslaves again, only to pay your useries and unjust exactions? even the bringing of the Jews out of Babylon, may be this redeeming of the Jews, whereof Nehemiah here speaks: yet happily the liberty granted by the Persian kings to the Jews, that who would might return to their own country, did not extend to those that had been bought and sold; and therefore perhaps both Nehemiah and others had with their money redeemed many of those that were so sold, and so brought them also out of Babylon.

Vers. 10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn.] To wit, for money we have lent them: or as a recompense of our public employments.

Vers. 11. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, &c.] To wit, remitting the debt for which they were mortgaged; for that he did require them to remit the debt, as well as to restore the mortgage, is evident by their answer, verse. 12. We will restore them, and will require nothing of them.

Also the hundred part of the money and of the corn, &c.] To wit, which they paid every month by way of use for the money, corn, &c. which they had borrowed; as for instance, if they borrowed an hundred pounds, for a months loan they paid one pound, and for a twelve-month twelve pound; all which since they had unjustly exacted of their brethren, Nehemiah calls upon them to restore it again.

Vers. 12. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.] Some Expositors conceive, that some of the priests being guilty of this sin of oppressing the people by taking usury of them, out of respect to their office, Nehemiah called them to him by themselves in private, and took an oath of them, that they should also do according to that which the people had promised; but I rather think, that it was the people of whom he took the oath, of whom it is said in the foregoing words, that they promised to do all that Nehemiah had required of them, and that the priests were called, either because it was the custom that the priests did give the oath to those that were sworn, or at least, because being sworn in the presence of the priests, who were the messengers of the Lord of hosts, the adjuration might be the more solemn and sacred, and those that were sworn, might be the more religiously affected with it.

Vers. 13. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, &c.] That is, may God so cast him out of his house, lands, and estates, (which is here called his labor, because he means that which he had gotten by his labor) that performs not this promise, as by shaking of my lap, anything that were therein would be now cast out of it; so that this ceremony of shaking his lap, was much like that of Paul's shaking his raiment, Acts 18.6. though that was to signify another thing, namely, that he was clear of the blood of the Jews, that would not embrace the truth he had taught them; he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean: and that also when Christ appointed his disciples, Matth. 10.14. to shake off the dust from their feet, as a witness against those that would not receive them.

Vers. 14. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor, &c.] To show, how unreasonable a thing it was in the richer sort to take usury of their poor brethren, he puts them in mind, that merely because he would not overburden the people, all the twelve years that he had been their governor, he had lived wholly upon his own personal estate, and neither he nor his brethren had eaten the bread of the governor, that is, the allowance of bread and other necessaries, which had been always given by the people, for the daily provision of their Governor and his family: As concerning the twelve years here mentioned, wherein Nehemiah had been their governor, see chap. 2.6.

Vers. 15. But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, &c.] To make it the more apparent, how loath he was to be chargeable to the people in regard of their poverty, and so by consequence to imply what an unmerciful act it was in the richer sort to oppress them with usury, he shows here, that though he might have challenged a yearly allowance for his maintenance, because all the governors had it that were before him, yet he required no such thing of them; The former governors had taken of them bread and wine, that is, a certain quality of bread and wine, and such other necessaries, besides forty shekels of silver, to wit, for every day, or of the head of every family; but he durst do so. But now by the former governors, I do not conceive that Zerubbabel and Ezra are meant; but rather those governors, which after Zerubbabel's death till Nehemiah's coming had the chief sway of government amongst the Jews, for Ezra was not sent as a governor, but as a scribe to teach them what they ought to do.

Yea, even their servants bear rule over the people.] That is, they also exacted what they pleased of the people.

Vers. 16, Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall.] Though in the third chapter, where it is fully expressed by whom the several parts of the wall were repaired, there is no mention of any particular part thereof undertaken by Nehemiah; yet he might well say, that he continued in the work of the wall, because he was continually employed in the oversight of the work, and was still with them, to direct and encourage the builders; yea, and because his servants were employed too where most need was, to help in the work, as it follows in this verse, and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work: though he lived wholly upon his own private means, yet both he and his were still employed in the public service.

Neither bought we any land.] Though the people being many of them much indebted, he might have had great bargains of them: and this is alleged as a proof, that neither he nor his sought to advance themselves; but only sought the good of the people.

Vers. 17. Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, &c.] The charge he was at in entertaining so many of the rulers, people, and strangers daily at his table, is here alleged, (to wit, during the time of his being in Jerusalem: for it is likely that he was often away in Persia, and this charge constantly for twelve years together, would otherwise have spent a kings estate,) first, because hereby the people were much eased; for a heavy burden it would have been to them, if all this had been done at the common charge: and secondly, because this circumstance did much commend his not taking from the people that which the former governors had taken of them for their maintenance, to wit, that he was put to so great charge, and yet he defrayed it all of his own private means.

Vers. 18. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine.] That is, besides the ordinary provision prepared for every day, every tenth day I feasted them more liberally, and gave them store of all sorts of wine.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 2. SAnballat, and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in someone of the villages, in the plain of Ono, &c.] Which was in the tribe of Benjamin, chap. 11.30, 35. 1. Chron. 8.12. It is likely therefore that Sanballat appointed this place for their meeting, so near to Jerusalem, that Nehemiah might be the more easily induced to come thither; but, saith Nehemiah, they thought to do me mischief; that is, to slay me, or at least, to make me their prisoner.

Vers. 5. Then sent Sanballat his servants unto me, in like manner, the fifth time, with an open letter.] He sent the letter open, either to imply that what was written in that letter was no secret thing, but what was common in every man's mouth; or else that the messenger might show it to others of the Jews before he came to Nehemiah, and so with the contents thereof might discourage them.

Vers. 6. It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel.] That is, that you may not think I pretend a rumour, when there is no such thing; I will name you one in particular who will confidently aver it, and that is Gashmu, or Geshem, verse. 2. the king of Persia his deputy Lieutenant in Arabia; and that because hereby also you may see how far the rumour is spread, and that their be some no mean men that will maintain it.

Thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.] According to this report which is abroad of you.

Vers. 7. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah.] That is. we have now a king again of our own nation, and shall not be in bondage any longer to foreign princes. I find some Expositors of opinion, that such a rumour was indeed spread abroad concerning Nehemiah, and that it was raised by occasion of the prophesies of Haggai and Zachariah, concerning the near approach of Christ's kingdom; which were by some perverted, as if they had been spoken of Nehemiah. But I think it may as well be supposed that there were no such rumors; but that they were merely forged by Sanballat to scare Nehemiah, and in hope he would thereupon come to them to clear himself: for so Nehemiah answers, verse. 8. There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou faignest them out of thy own heart.

Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.] That is, let us meet and advise in a friendly manner, that we may see whether this report be true, and if it be false, what course is to be taken to discover your innocence, and to prevent the king of Persiaes displeasure against us.

Vers. 10. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, &c. who was shut up.] It seems this Shemaiah was a priest of the course of Delaiah, 1. Chron. 24.18. and therefore called here the son of Delaiah, and that accordingly he had his house in the Temple: but withal it is evident, that he was accounted a prophet, though he was indeed a false prophet, and was hired at this time by Tobiah and Sanballat, to prophecy of the danger that was coming upon Nehemiah, purposely that he might be terrified and be won to hide himself, and so the hearts of all the people might be discouraged likewise, and some advantage by this means might be taken against them: why it is here said he was at this time shut up, the judgment of Expositors is divers: the most probable reasons that I find given for it, are, that he shut up himself, either first, to make a show of a desire to retire himself that he might pray with the greater liberty, and receive some revelation from God: or secondly, out of a pretence of fearing some sudden attempt that would be made upon the city, which caused him to shut up himself, that he might keep out the enemy: or thirdly, that he did it as a prophetical sign that such dangers were coming upon the city that men should be glad to shut up themselves, assaying thereby to hide themselves from the enemy: whereof when Nehemiah heard, for this very cause it was that he came to him.

And he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the Temple, and let us shut the doors, &c.] And thus under a pretence of persuading Nehemiah to shut up himself in the Temple that his enemies might not come at him, he sought by Nehemiah's cowardice to discourage all the people, as is before noted, and withal might have a purpose to deliver him up into their hands, having him thus fast shut up, that he could not escape to hide himself.

Vers. 11. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? &c.] Being called of God to do what I do, and being at present the chief magistrate and governor of this city, who am therefore to take care for the defense of the people, and to give them all possible encouragement both by word and deed, Should I flee, and that into the Temple, like a malefactor that sought to take sanctuary there? Surely this were the ready way utterly to discourage the people, and to bring a reproach both upon myself and upon them, as if I did distrust the providence and protection of God; and therefore were it to save my life, I would not do it. This I conceive was the full meaning of these words of Nehemiah; yet some think also that he refused to go into the Temple, because it was not lawful for any but the priests to go in thither, Numb. 3.38.

Vers. 12. And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, &c.] To wit, both by the advice he gave, because it tended to the hurt of God's people, and to beat him off by terrifying him from the work, which God had given him in charge; and likewise afterwards by the event, because the enemies came not that night to seize upon him, as Shemaiah had prophesied they would.

Vers. 15. So the wall was finished, in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, &c.] The very doors of the gates being then also set up; which was not done before verse. 1. The whole work was finished on the twenty fifth day of the month Elul (which was their sixth month, agreeing most what with our August, and shows that they undertook the work in the heighth of summer, when the days were at the longest, and the season every way most seasonable for building) and so all was dispatched in fifty and two days, to wit, from the time that they first began the repairing of the wall. Indeed, because it seems impossible that so great a work should be finished in so short a compass, to wit, fifty two days, which was not full two months, therefore some Expositors understand these fifty two days to be meant of the time after the stone wall was finished, and that message was sent from Sanballat and Tobiah, whereof mention is made verse. 2. but because no such thing is here expressed, I rather understand it of the time wherein the whole work was finished. And indeed if we consider, first, that the walls and towers were not wholly razed to the ground, but only battered and broken, and had many breaches in them: secondly, that there was a multitude of people who round about the city in several places at one time were employed in the work, and did with much earnestness follow it: and thirdly, that it was indeed finished to the astonishment of the enemies, verse. 16. before they dreamed it could have been done▪ And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that was about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived this work was wrought of our God: I say, considering all these things, it needs not seem so incredible that the work was begun and perfected in fifty two days.

CHAP. VII.

Vers. 1. WHen the wall was built, and I had set up the doors; and the porters and the singers, and the Levites were appointed] By the Levites, thus distinguished from the porters and singers, are meant such of the Levites, as were to attend upon the priests in their office: and the meaning of this clause is, either that Nehemiah did choose out and appoint some of these to perform some solemn service at the dedication of the walls by way of thanksgiving to God; or else that such of the porters, singers, and Levites, as had been some way employed about the building, were now appointed again to return to their service in the Temple.

Vers. 2. I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem.] To his brother or kinsman Hanani (who first brought him word of the sad estate of Jerusalem, chap. 1.1, 2.) and to Hananiah the ruler of the palace, he gave charge over Jerusalem; that is, to see that the gates were carefully shut and opened in due time, and a sufficient watch for the better guard of the city always maintained.

Vers. 3. And while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them.] That is, let not those that have the charge of shutting and barring the gates, appoint or send others to do it for them; but let them at least stand by themselves and see it done as it should be. Some indeed conceive that this is spoken of Hanani and Hananiah, to wit, that they were to see the gates shut up themselves: but the words seem more clearly to import, that it is spoken of them that by Hanani and Hananiah should be appointed to this service.

And appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house.] That is, everyone to watch in that part which was nearest to his own dwelling; those that dwelt in the west parts of the city were not to be called to watch on the walls on the east-side, &c.

Vers 4. Now the city was large and great, but the people were few therein and the houses were not built.] So that there was no proportion betwixt the walls without, and the houses of the city within; nor were the inhabitants sufficient for the defense of the walls in so large a circuit: which is alleged here as the reason why Nehemiah undertook the numbering of the people, according to their genealogies, as is related in the following verse. Some indeed of the chief of the inhabitants were careful to build themselves stately and fair houses, Haggai 1.4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses &c. but the whilst it seems the most of the houses lay ruinated and unbuilt: and though there came out of Babylon with Zerubbabel forty two thousand three hundred and sixty, Ezra 2 64. yet the greatest number of these happily chose to seat themselves in some other part of the country, rather then in Jerusalem: either because of the misery that had befallen the inhabitants of this city formerly, when it was taken by the Chaldees; or because they found the city unfit to dwell in.

Vers. 5. And my God put into mine heart, to gather together the nobles and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogies.] To wit, that knowing the number of the people according to their several genealogies, first, those families that belonged to Jerusalem might be appointed to dwell there: secondly, that as need was found, others might be also called in to inhabit Jerusalem, though their progenitors had not dwelt there: thirdly, that according as men were found able they might be appointed to lend aid to the rebuilding of those houses in Jerusalem that lay in the rubbish. This assembly was gathered upon the first day of the seventh month, chap. 8.2. when they were first prepared by the hearing of the law, that they might the more willingly undertake what was imposed for the common good; and then order was taken for these things, chap. 11.1. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities, &c.

And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, &c.] For their better proceeding a president was sought of their former numbering the people in the days of Zerubbabel, and this register was found that follows in the next verse, which in many things differs from that Ezra 2.1. and therefore it is thought that that in Ezra was taken and written when they were preparing to come out of Babylon; this, when they were come into Judea.

Vers. 6. These are the children of the province, &c.] What is to be noted for the understanding of this register of the genealogy of them that returned out of Babylon, we may see in the notes upon the second chapter of Ezra.

Vers. 70. And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work.] Some conceive that this is still a continuation of the register that was found, mentioned above verse. 5. containing a catalogue of what was given at their first return out of Babylon towards the building of the Temple, &c. And whereas it may be objected, that there is a great deal of difference betwixt that which is said to be given there, Ezra 2.69. and that which here is said was given; to this they answer, that all that was given by the encouragement of Cyrus, both by Jews and Persians, is there set down; here, only that which was given by the Jews. But I rather conceive with other Expositors, that the register that was found, mentioned verse. 5. ended with the former verse, and that here now is added what was collected after the people were numbered by Nehemiah, according to the president of the register that was found: for as there was a collection of money and other things made, when they were numbered according to their genealogies in Zerubbabel's time, at their first coming out of Babylon, Ezra 2.68. so was it now also, only that was merely for the building of the Temple, this was partly for the service of the Temple (for why else were so many priests garments given, mentioned in the following words) but in part also for the rebuilding of the city. See above, verse. 4.

The Tirshatha gave to the treasure.] That is, Nehemiah, chap. 10.1. and 8.9. Now those that sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha, &c. See the note also Ezra 2.63.

Vers. 73. So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, &c.] See the note, Ezra 2.70.

CHAP. VIII.

Vers. 1. ANd all the people gathered themselves together as one man, &c.] To wit, on the first day of the seventh month, verse. 2. which was the feast of trumpets, Levite. 23.24. and not many days after the wall was finished, which was on the twenty fifth day of the sixth month, chap. 6.15. Some Expositors conceive that this is but only a more full and large relation of those things which were done long since at Zerubbabel's first coming into Judea, and which were before more briefly related by Ezra, Ezra 3.1. &c. and that, first, because as the second chapter of Ezra ends, and the third begins, so with the same words in effect doth the seventh chapter of Nehemiah end and the eighth begin: and secondly, because it is not likely that Ezra, being sent to instruct the people in the Law of God, would suffer them so long, to wit, till Nehemiah's coming, to be ignorant of the main duties of God's worship and service, as it seems now they were, verse. 14. And they found written in the Law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, &c. But these reasons are too weak to win us to admit of such a confusion in the order of the history: rather therefore I conceive, that what is here related was done in Nehemiah's time, after the wall was finished, as is above related. The place where they met together was, as is here added, the street that was before the water-gate; a gate mentioned before, chap. 3.26. and in the street hereof it seems the people were assembled, because the court of the Temple could not contain such a multitude.

And they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses, &c.] See the note Ezra 7.1. and 6.

Vers. 4. And beside him stood Mattithiah, &c.] To wit, as witnesses ready to approve and maintain the truth of that which from the Law of God should be delivered to them, and in their turn also to perform the work.

Vers. 7. Also Joshua, and Bani, &c.] That is, not only Ezra did thus expound the Law unto the people, but others also of the priests and Levites caused the people to understand the Law, because they could not all conveniently hear Ezra, they were divided into several companies, and in each of them there were pulpits or scaffolds erected, as may be gathered, chap 9.4, from whence they read and expounded the Law unto them, there being several teachers in each place that might successively discharge that work.

And the people stood in their place.] To wit, some in one company, and some in another, according to their divisions.

So they read in the book, in the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.] It is a weak conceit of some popish Expositors, that they did read only that in the Syriac tongue to the people, which in the original book was written in Hebrew, and that because the people, since their return out of Babylon, did neither speak, nor perfectly understand the Hebrew tongue, but the Syriac only; for the words do plainly import that they expounded that which they read to them.