PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Nehemiah
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 40,014 words · 201 reading sections
Nehemiah 4:13
Nehemiah 4:13 Ver. 13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall,.... Where the wall was lowest, and the enemy could more easily break it down, or get over it: and on the higher places; where the wall was higher; or rather on the towers upon the walls, as the word signifies the tops of rocks, which are dry …
103 wordsSECTION 62Nehemiah 4:14
Nehemiah 4:14 Ver. 14. And I looked,.... Took a view of the people, and observed that they were in their proper place, and sufficiently armed, and also whether the enemy was coming: and rose up and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people; who were under their nobles and rulers, as their…
166 wordsSECTION 63Nehemiah 4:15
Nehemiah 4:15 Ver. 15. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard it was known unto us,.... What they intended, as might be reported to them from the preparations made by the Jews to receive them, and defend themselves: and God had brought their counsel to naught; which was to come upon them secretly and unawares; b…
99 wordsSECTION 64Nehemiah 4:16
Nehemiah 4:16 Ver. 16. And it came to pass from that time forth,.... That they were thus alarmed of danger from their enemies: that the half of my servants wrought in the work; of building the wall; his domestic servants, his guards, or mighty men, as Jarchi, men of war, the soldiers:and the other half of them held b…
922 wordsSECTION 65Nehemiah 5:1
Nehemiah 5:1 INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 5 In this chapter is a complaint of the poor against the rich for oppression of them, Ne 5:1 for which Nehemiah being angry, reproved them, and made them promise, and swear to it, to make restitution, Ne 5:6 and set them an example himself, taking nothing of them during his twelve ye…
114 wordsSECTION 66Nehemiah 5:2
Nehemiah 5:2 Ver. 2. For there were that said, we, our sons, and our daughters, are many,.... Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to show that their families, being large, required a considerable quantit…
107 wordsSECTION 67Nehemiah 5:3
Nehemiah 5:3 Ver. 3. Some also there were that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses,.... Made them over to others, put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them: that we may buy corn; for the support of their families: because of the dearth; or famine; which might be occasioned …
102 wordsSECTION 68Nehemiah 5:4
Nehemiah 5:4 Ver. 4. There were also that said,.... Who though they were able to buy corn for their families without mortgaging their estates: yet, say they, we have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards; for though the priests, Levites, and Nethinims, were exempted from it, yet…
88 wordsSECTION 69Nehemiah 5:5
Nehemiah 5:5 Ver. 5. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren,.... We are of the same nature, nation, stock, and religion: our children as their children; are circumcised as they, and have a right to the same privileges in church and state: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and daughters to be servants…
133 wordsSECTION 70Nehemiah 5:6
Nehemiah 5:6 Ver. 6. And I was very angry when I heard their cry, and these words. Their complaint expressed in this manner; it not only raised pity and compassion in his breast towards these poor distressed people, but indignation at the rich that oppressed them.…
47 wordsSECTION 71Nehemiah 5:7
Nehemiah 5:7 Ver. 7. Then I consulted with myself,.... What was to be done, what method to be taken to redress such grievances: and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers; who were the men that monopolized the corn in this dear season, and sold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vineyards, and houses of …
189 wordsSECTION 72Nehemiah 5:8
Nehemiah 5:8 Ver. 8. And I said unto them,.... The nobles, and rulers, and other rich persons that exacted usury of the poor: we after our ability; speaking of himself in the plural number, which now obtained in the court of Persia; or of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and others, who, according as their worldly circumstances, ha…
270 wordsSECTION 73Nehemiah 5:9
Nehemiah 5:9 Ver. 9. Also I said, it is not good that ye do,.... The meaning is, that it was very bad; it is a "meiosis", by which more is intended than is expressed: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God; in reverence of him and his law, and according to that: because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemie…
110 wordsSECTION 74Nehemiah 5:10
Nehemiah 5:10 Ver. 10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn,.... For our maintenance, in consideration of the services done by us, which would appear but reasonable, but this we decline for the sake of easing our poor brethren: I pray you let us leave off this usury; and no…
70 wordsSECTION 75Nehemiah 5:11
Nehemiah 5:11 Ver. 11. Restore, I pray you, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses,.... Which they had made over to them for corn they had had, or money they borrowed of them; it is entreated that an immediate restitution be made, and the rather, if what Aben Ezra observes is t…
182 wordsSECTION 76Nehemiah 5:12
Nehemiah 5:12 Ver. 12. Then said they, we will restore them,.... The lands, vineyards, oliveyards, and houses: and will require nothing of them; not the hundredth part of the fruits of the earth by way of salary: so will we do as thou sayest; they approved of his proposal, and readily agreed to it: then I called th…
151 wordsSECTION 77Nehemiah 5:13
Nehemiah 5:13 Ver. 13. Also I shook my lap,.... The fore skirts of his garment, shaking the dust out of them, as a symbol of what follows; a like rite was used in the case of peace and war, the choice of either, by the Romans, as proposed by their ambassadors to the Carthaginians, as having either in their bosom to sh…
200 wordsSECTION 78Nehemiah 5:14
Nehemiah 5:14 Ver. 14. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah,.... That is, by the king of Persia, which was not done when he was first sent into Judea; but very probably when he had finished the wall in fifty two days, he returned to Persia, and gave the king an account…
169 wordsSECTION 79Nehemiah 5:15
Nehemiah 5:15 Ver. 15. But the former governors, that had been before me, were chargeable to the people,.... Between him and Zerubbabel, for Ezra was no governor; according to the Jewish chronology {m}, when Ezra came to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel returned to Babylon, and there died, and his son Methullam was in his stead,…
163 wordsSECTION 80Nehemiah 5:16
Nehemiah 5:16 Ver. 16. Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,.... Of building the wall of Jerusalem; here he gave his constant attendance to direct and encourage the workmen, and see that they kept to their work, and did it well: neither bought we any land; neither he nor the principal men with him, though t…
105 wordsSECTION 81Nehemiah 5:17
Nehemiah 5:17 Ver. 17. Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers,.... Every day at his own cost, which must be considerable to provide for such a number, and of such rank: besides those that came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us; who were proselytes, and came thither…
73 wordsSECTION 82Nehemiah 5:18
Nehemiah 5:18 Ver. 18. Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep,.... Or fat ones; of beef and mutton a considerable quantity, abundantly sufficient for his guests and servants, and shows what a good table he kept: also fowls were prepared for me; what number is not said: and once in t…
180 wordsSECTION 83Nehemiah 5:19
Nehemiah 5:19 Ver. 19. Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. He expected not any recompence from the people, but from the Lord; and from him not in a way of merit, but of grace and good will, who forgets not what is done for his name's sake, Heb 6:10. John Gill's E…
69 wordsSECTION 84Nehemiah 6:1
Nehemiah 6:1 INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 6 Sanballat and his brethren, hearing the wall was finished, sent to Nehemiah, to have a meeting with him at a place named, which he refused, Ne 6:1, then they sent him a terrifying letter, suggesting that he, and the Jews with him, would be treated as rebels, since their intenti…
219 wordsSECTION 85Nehemiah 6:2
Nehemiah 6:2 Ver. 2. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me,.... Messengers: saying, come, let us meet together in some one of the villages; in Cephirim, which Jarchi takes to be the name of a place, perhaps the same with Cephirah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:26 in the plain of Ono; which was in the same…
127 wordsSECTION 86Nehemiah 6:3
Nehemiah 6:3 Ver. 3. And I sent messengers unto them,.... He did not show any open contempt of them, nor did he even return answer by the messenger that came from them, but sent some of his own people to them: saying, I am doing a great work; was about an affair of great importance, very busy, and not at leisure to g…
171 wordsSECTION 87Nehemiah 6:4
Nehemiah 6:4 Ver. 4. Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort,.... Being very desirous of getting him into their hands, and therefore were very pressing and importunate: and I answered them after the same manner; every time as before, he being as much bent on finishing the work as they were to divert him from…
60 wordsSECTION 88Nehemiah 6:5
Nehemiah 6:5 Ver. 5. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time,.... In his own name, neither Tobiah nor Geshem joining with him, he being more solicitous and anxious to get him into his hands than any of them; and it may be, as some think, pretending more friendship for him than the rest, a…
102 wordsSECTION 89Nehemiah 6:6
Nehemiah 6:6 Ver. 6. Wherein was written, it is reported among, the Heathen,.... Among the several neighbouring nations; it was an affair that was not whispered about among a few only; it was common talk, it was in every body's mouth in divers nations: and Gashmu saith it; the same with Geshem the Arabian; he affirms…
203 wordsSECTION 90Nehemiah 6:7
Nehemiah 6:7 Ver. 7. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,.... This he said to cover what he and Tobiah had been doing, tampering with, corrupting, and hiring the prophets to discourage him, and put him upon methods, whereby the work would cease: saying, there is a king in Judah; besid…
163 wordsSECTION 91Nehemiah 6:8
Nehemiah 6:8 Ver. 8. Then I sent unto him,.... Whether a letter, or a messenger, is not said: saying there are no such things done as thou sayest; that there was any scheme formed to rebel, and make him king, or that prophets were appointed to declare him such: but thou feignest them out of thine own heart; in short…
72 wordsSECTION 92Nehemiah 6:9
Nehemiah 6:9 Ver. 9. For they all made us afraid,.... Or you all, as Aben Ezra interprets it; or all the Heathen nations, as Jarchi; this was the design of all those scandalous reports, to intimidate them, and with this they pleased themselves, as follows: their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not d…
138 wordsSECTION 93Nehemiah 6:10
Nehemiah 6:10 Ver. 10. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up,.... Either in his own house, or in a chamber in the temple, as if he had given himself up to meditation, fasting, and prayer; or, as he might suggest to Nehemiah, for his safety, and so design…
238 wordsSECTION 94Nehemiah 6:11
Nehemiah 6:11 Ver. 11. And I said, should such a man as I flee?.... The king's commissioner, who had the conducting and management of the whole affair of building the wall of Jerusalem, on whom it wholly depended; for, should he absent himself, the people would depart and leave their work, and the city and wall be lef…
148 wordsSECTION 95Nehemiah 6:12
Nehemiah 6:12 Ver. 12. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him,.... Because he advised to that which was against the cause of God and true religion: but that he pronounced the prophecy against me; for by fleeing, as he advised, it would seem that he was guilty of the crimes of rebellion and treason he was char…
118 wordsSECTION 96Nehemiah 6:13
Nehemiah 6:13 Ver. 13. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin,.... By distrusting the power and providence of God to protect him, and by going into such a part of the temple, which he, being no priest, had no right to go into: and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they …
89 wordsSECTION 97Nehemiah 6:14
Nehemiah 6:14 Ver. 14. My God, think thou on Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works,.... Their wicked counsels and schemes, and not only confound and disappoint them, but reward them as they deserve: and on the prophetess Noadiah: whom Aben Ezra takes to be the same with Shemaiah, because he said, dewn, …
135 wordsSECTION 98Nehemiah 6:15
Nehemiah 6:15 Ver. 15. So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul,.... The sixth month, answering to part of August and part of September: in fifty and two days; which Aben Ezra reckons from the time that Sanballat sent his letter to Nehemiah, when no more were wanting than to set the doors up…
283 wordsSECTION 99Nehemiah 6:16
Nehemiah 6:16 Ver. 16. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof,.... That the wall was finished: and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things; the neighbouring nations, who not only heard with their ears, but saw with their eyes what was done: they were much cast down in their own eyes…
122 wordsSECTION 100Nehemiah 6:17
Nehemiah 6:17 Ver. 17. Moreover, in those days,.... While the wall was building: the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them; letters passed between them frequently, they informing him how things went on at Jerusalem, and he advising them to what was detrimental to the tr…
83 wordsSECTION 101Nehemiah 6:18
Nehemiah 6:18 Ver. 18. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him,.... To Tobiah, who not only in a private manner corresponded with him by letters, but bound themselves by an oath to him to be true to his interest, and do as he should advise them: because he was the son in law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah; of a f…
108 wordsSECTION 102Nehemiah 6:19
Nehemiah 6:19 Ver. 19. Also they reported his good deeds before me,.... Recommended him as a very worthy man, deserving of respect and notice by Nehemiah, and to be taken into his friendship, and admitted to conversation with him, whose counsel and advice might be of service: and uttered my words to him; reported bot…
110 wordsSECTION 103Nehemiah 7:1
Nehemiah 7:1 INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 7 Nehemiah having built the wall, and set up the doors, appointed two persons to take the charge of the city, and set watches for the safety of it, and to take special care about opening and shutting the gates of it, Ne 7:1, and concerned he was for the peopling of it, and having…
182 wordsSECTION 104Nehemiah 7:2
Nehemiah 7:2 Ver. 2. That I gave my brother Hanani,.... Who first brought him the melancholy account of the state of Jerusalem, Ne 1:2, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace; the king's palace, in which the viceroy of the king of Persia dwelt, and now Nehemiah; to these two men he gave charge over Jerusalem; committe…
173 wordsSECTION 105Nehemiah 7:3
Nehemiah 7:3 Ver. 3. And I said unto them, let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot,.... Or until the heat of the day, or near noon; at least not till the sun had been up some time, and shone out clearly, and caused much heat; that if any enemies were near, or lying in wait, they might be discover…
243 wordsSECTION 106Nehemiah 7:4
Nehemiah 7:4 Ver. 4. Now the city was large and great,.... The circumference of it, all within the wall; for that was built on its old foundation, and enclosed as much ground as ever it did: Hecataeus {b}, an Heathen writer, says the circumference of Jerusalem was fifty furlongs, which was more than six miles; but Jos…
176 wordsSECTION 107Nehemiah 7:5
Nehemiah 7:5 Ver. 5. And my God put into mine heart,.... Every good motion in him, and whatever he thought of that was conducive to the good and welfare of Jerusalem, Nehemiah always ascribed it to God; see 2Co 3:5 to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy…
206 wordsSECTION 108Nehemiah 7:6
Nehemiah 7:6 Ver. 6. These are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity,.... Who were of the province of Judea, as it was now reduced, and came up out of the captivity of Babylon through the edict of Cyrus; see Ezr 2:1, where the same preface is given to the list of names as here; and from hence …
322 wordsSECTION 109Nehemiah 7:70
Nehemiah 7:70 Ver. 70. And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work,.... Of building the city and the temple, and for that service, Ezr 2:68, the Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drachms of gold; each of which was one pound sterling, and so amounted to so many pounds: of these "dracmons", or "dari…
665 wordsSECTION 110Nehemiah 8:1
Nehemiah 8:1 INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 8 Ezra being desired to bring forth the book of the law, read it to the people and others, expounded it to them, Ne 8:1 and Nehemiah exhorted the people to express joy and gladness on this occasion, which they did, Ne 8:9 and observing the feast of tabernacles was in the law comm…
254 wordsSECTION 111Nehemiah 8:2
Nehemiah 8:2 Ver. 2. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation,.... Having a perfect copy of it, which the people knew, and therefore desired him to bring it; he brought it either out of his own case or chest, or out of the temple where it was laid up; some restrain this to the book of Deuteronomy; t…
237 wordsSECTION 112Nehemiah 8:3
Nehemiah 8:3 Ver. 3. And he read therein,.... Some passages in it, here and there, which it was necessary the people should have knowledge of; for it can hardly be thought be began and read on just in the order in which it was: this he did before the street; at the top of it, at one end of it: that was before the wa…
195 wordsSECTION 113Nehemiah 8:4
Nehemiah 8:4 Ver. 4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose,.... Or to speak out of, as the Syriac and Arabic versions; this, in the Hebrew text, is called a "tower" {i}, partly because of its height, and partly because in the form of one; and also for its largeness, consi…
255 wordsSECTION 114Nehemiah 8:5
Nehemiah 8:5 Ver. 5. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people),.... So plainly seen by them, and what he did, and the more easily heard, for which purpose the pulpit was made for him to stand in: and, when he opened it, all the people stood up; that they might the bette…
152 wordsSECTION 115Nehemiah 8:6
Nehemiah 8:6 Ver. 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God,.... Before he began to read in the book of the law, he addressed himself to God in a short prayer, wholly in the benedictory way; ascribing blessing, honour, and glory to him, celebrating his being and perfections, setting forth his greatness and his excel…
297 wordsSECTION 116Nehemiah 8:7
Nehemiah 8:7 Ver. 7. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites,.... That is, others of them besides those named; for they seem all to be Levites, unless they can be thought to be priests, and so the Levites are distingui…
148 wordsSECTION 117Nehemiah 8:8
Nehemiah 8:8 Ver. 8. So they read in the book,.... Ezra and those with him; he first began to read and expound, and when weary they relieved him, and did the same: in the law of God distinctly; which was the book they read in, and which they read plainly and intelligibly, so as to be heard and understood; this seems …
271 wordsSECTION 118Nehemiah 8:9
Nehemiah 8:9 Ver. 9. And Nehemiah which is the Tirshatha,.... Or governor, as Zerubbabel had been, and now Nehemiah, see Ezr 2:63 and Ezra the priest and scribe; see Ne 8:1, and the Levites that taught the people; see Ne 8:7 said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God; being both the new moon …
143 wordsSECTION 119Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah 8:10 Ver. 10. Then he said unto them,.... Nehemiah the Tirshatha or governor: go your way; to their own houses, and refresh themselves; it being noon, and they had stood many hours attentive to the reading and expounding of the law: eat the fat, and drink the sweet: not a common meal, but a feast, consistin…
104 wordsSECTION 120De 16:11
De 16:11 for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you sorry; confirming what the Levites had said and exhorted to, Ne 8:9 for the joy of the Lord is your strength; to rejoice, as the Lord commanded them on such days as these, was a means both of increasing their bodily strength and their inward strength, and of…
122 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.