z 7. e Sequeſtred thenuelves from all other buſineſs, and gave themſclves wholly to this. \
17 And they made an end with all the men that had
taken ſtrange wives, by the firſt day of che firſt month, 18 And among the ſons of the prieſts, there were found that had taken ſtrange wives: namely, of the ſons of J:ſhua, the ſon of Jozadak, and hisbrethren ; Maa- ſejah, and Eliezer, aud Jarib, and Gedaliah. i9 And they gave their, hand & that they would put
39 AndShelemiah, and Nathan, and Adajah, 40 || Machnadebai, Shaſhai, Sharai,
41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joſeph.
4.3 Zebina, Jadau, and Joei, Benajab. |
44 All theſe had taken ſtr-nge wives : and ſome of them had wives by whom they had children c.
c Whereby he implics that moſt of their Wives were barren. Which came to paſs by Gods ſpecial Providence, part'y to manifeſt tis diſpleaſure againit ſuch matches, and partly that the prattice of rhis great and necetfary dury might not be cacumbred with too
away their wives : and being guilty, they offered a ram
many dithcultics,
—————
NEWY
MFA H | 7
His Bok ſeems n1t to have been written by Ezra, becauſe 1t is written in a quite differing, and more plain and eaſie ſtile, and without that mize ture of Chaloe-, or Syriak wards, which is in the Bok of Ezra, but by Nehemiah, cb. 1. 1. who wrote an account of his own Tranſatlians,as kzra did of his. But whether this be the ſame N:hemiah, who came up with Zerubbibel, Ezra 2. 2. and N:hemiah 7, 7. may be queltione.d, che ſame
rame being oft given ts diver: perſons. ; Title of his .'ffice, and jo be/angs toany Governour, whether 16 was Zeruboab CHAP. I. | Nehemiah underf{anding by Hanani, the affiiftion of the Jews, and the miſe- ry of Jeruſalem, 1 ———- 3, mournet h, fasteth and prayeth, 4» His prayer
for them, 6—=— 10» and for ſucceſs in his Petition to the King) 11,
He words « of Nehemiah the ſon of Hachaliah, |
Acd it came to pals in the month * Chilleu 6,
in the twentieth year c, as I was in Shuſhan 4 the palace,
# Or rather, the afs or deeds as the word oft ſignifies : of which he here treats. 6 Which is the ninth Month, containing part of November. and part of December, c Of Artaxerxes, ch, 2. 1- d The Chict and Roy al Ciry of Perſia, Eh. 3. 15.
2 That Hanani, one of my Brethren e came, he and certain men of Judah, and I asked them concerning the Jews that had eſcaped f, which were lefr of the captivity g and concerning Jeruſalem.
e Of my ramily or Tribe or Nation. f Our of the ſlavery which they indured in {trange Lands. g The remnant of thoſe NUME- | Tous Caprives.
2 And they ſaid unto me, the remnant that are | left of the captivity there in the province 5 are in
burnt with fire &. þ i. e. In Judca, which was now made a Province under the Pcr-
fran Monazchs : fee the Notes on Ezra 5. 8, # Deipiſed and dr;
And for the na'ne of Tirſhatha, which is uf:d both Ezra 2. 53. and Nehemiah 7, 65. 90. that ſeems tobe rhe
&, or Nehemiah, or any ether. ſtreſſed by the neighbouring Nations. &7. e. The walls and gates continue in the tame woful plight in which Nebuchadnezzar left them ; the Jews not being yer in a condition to rebuild them, n-r having Commiſſion from the Kings of Perſia to do ſo, but only ro build che Temp!lc and their own private Houſes. And this mae their enemies {corn them ; who alio would have ruined them, bur for fear of offending the Perſian King.
4 Andit came to paſs when I heard theſe words, that I fate down and wept, and mourned certain days, and prayed before the God of Heaven.
5 And aid, I beſeech thee, * O LOR
and obſerve his commandments,
6 Let thine car now be attentive, and thins eyes 0- pen, that chou mayeſt hear the prayer of thy ferva , which I pray betore thee now, day and night, for the children of [{rael thy ſervants, and confels the ſins of the children of Iſrael, which we have ſinned againſt thee: both I, and my Fathers Houſe have fiuncd.
7 We have dealt very corruptly / againſt thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the ſtatutes, nor che which thou commandelt thy ſervanc Moles. *
1 Or, we have wholly corrupted, to wit, our fclv2r, and onr ways,. and thy Worlhip. a A 8 Remems-
a 1, e. They covenanted or ſwore by giving their hand ; which which ſee Leviz. 6, 2.
--
21 And of the ſons of Harim ; Maaſejah, and Eli
22 And ofche ſons of Paſhur ; Elivenai, M:aſcjah,
- I
; 27 And of theſons of Zactu ; Elioenai,Eliaſhib,Mat-
theſe heathen Nations ftich as weie not profelyted to the Jewiſh Re- !
alſo of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah,
34 Of the ſons ot Bani; Maadi, Amram, and Uel-
3 Of the ſons of Nebo ; Jehicl, Marttichiah, Zabad, <P
) oY | - D God « n.n.g.4. of Heaven, the great and terrible God, * that keep- *Exou 20. eth covenant, and mercy for them that love him, 6.
j
Chap |
| | | |
[ Or,Mab- nadegat, accordiag ro 1ome
p- IE. $ Remember, I beſeech thee the word that thou commandedſt thy ſervant Moſes, to deliver to us, 1ay- ev.26. ing, * If ye tranſgreſs, I will ſcatter you abroad among Deur. the nations : | 5, & 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my command- ut-30: nents, and do them ; * chough there were of you caſt our u:nto the uttermoſt part of heaven, yet will I gether thzem from chence, and will bring them untothe piuce that I have choſen to ſet my name there. | 1» Now theſe are thy ſervants, and thy people, whom thou haft redeenied by thy great power, and by thy ſt-ong hand. : 11 O LORD, I beſeech thee, let now thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of thy ſervant, and to the eb. who prayer of thy ſervants, + who deſire to fear thy name: Z fear, and proſper, I pray thee,thy ſervant this day, and grant delight 10 }im mercy in the ſight of this man mm. For I was the
RH: MI 14 £
kings cup-bearer #. |
m The King: who though a god by Office, 1s but a Man by Na- ture, and therefore hisheart is wholly at thy diſpoſal. n W hereby I had opportunity to ſpeak to him, and ſome tavour and freedom with him ; which encouraged me to make rhis Prayer, and to hope
for ſome ſuccel-, EMSP. IL
Artaxerxes underſtanding the cauſe of Nehemiahs ſadneſs, 1- -6: ſendeth him with Letters to Jeruſalem, 5, 8. Nehemiah to the grief of the ene- mies comerh to Feruſalem, 9 —- 11. and ſecretly by night wieweth the ruins of Teruſalem, 12 <= 16. Hz encorrageth the Jews 70 build, 17, 18. The enemies deriding, charge them with 7cb:Uon agams: the