Supererogation, to be admired rather than imitated ; but only his Dury in that caſe, which for bis own ſake he durſt not decline; and conſequently that it was their Duty alſo now to relinquiſh even thoſe Rights which in other Times and Conditions they might law, fully require. :
16 Yea, alſo I continued in the work of this wall /,
neither bought we any land mz: and all my ſervants
ere gathered thicther unto the work.
I Overſceing, direfting and encouraging the Workmen, which was my whole bulineſs; and this at my own Loſt. m Ot our poor Brethren, whoſe Necetlities gave me abundent opportunity of en- riching my ſelf with good Bargains. Bur I durſt nor build my houſe upon other Mens Ruins.
17 Moreover, here were | at my table an hundred and fifty + of the J-ws and Rulers », beſides thoſe that came unto us from among the Heathen thar are abour us.
» Not only Jews of the inferior ſort, for whom meaner Proviſions might ſufhce,but alſo theirRulers,ſuch as there were in many places for whom berter Proviſion was fir: who reſorted to him upon all occaſions, either to pour oat their Complaints, as here they Cid; or to give him notice of the Encmies deſig; or to receive his or- ders and direQions.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily, as One ox, #1d {1x choice (beep ; alſo fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days, ſtore of all forts of wine : yerfor all this required not I the bread of the Gover-
nour s, becauſe the bondage was heavy upon this people, o But bore it out ofmy own Eſtate : Which was very ccnſidcra- able his Office in t1e Perſian Court being a place of ve: y great pro- fit as well as Honour, and that Profit no doubt conrinued to him in this his abſence from the King From this great aud daily Expence, it ſeems more than probable, that Nehemiah did nor continue here for twelve years together, as ſome would think, or ar leaſt thar he did not this all that time,bur only during the great and preſent Exi- gences and Diſtreſſ:s of rhe Jews, which ceaſed in good part after the Walls werebuilt, and the Hearts of all the Jews revived, and their Enemies diſpirited thereby. earns 29 * Think upon me, my God, for good, according 13:*2to all that I have done for this people p.
5 C:mmac- E4 a 2} l :eaens ly; ÞF Gr chzre- abaxy.
a
for thine own ſake ; for thou art plealcd, and haſt promiſed praci- ouily to reward us accorting to our works, and to mete to Men the ſame meaſure which they mete to others: CHAP. VL Sanballat and Tobiah ſending to N:hemiah to meet chem, intend to do him miſchief, 1, 2. Nehemiah's an{wer, 3. They charge him with Rebellion, 4 ——— 7. his anſwer toit, 8, 9g. Shemajah's falſe Prophecies to diſ- courage Nehemiah, 10. his reply, 11 —'— 13. The work is fiaiſhed to the terror of the Enemies, 15, 16. Secret Correſpondence between the Nobles of fudah and Tobiah, 17, 18.
0 bet it came to paſs, when Sanballat, and Tobi-
ah, and Geſhem the Arabian, and thereſt of our enemies heard that I had buile the wall, and hae there was no breach left therein; ( though ac that time
"'NBAHEMI 4 H.
ſid, Amen, and praiſed the LORD. Ard the people |
twentieth year, even unto the ewo and thirtieth ycarof Artaxerxes the King, that is, twelve years d, I and.
of Perſia, the Governours might require for th: Maintenance of |
Praiſe, ani to ſhew that this was no heroical Aion, nor work of
p As I have done thy people good for thy ſake, ſo do me goo! |
| T had not ſetup the doors 4 upon the gates. ) a Not all of them- See on Ch. 3. n, 2, 3. 2 Then Sanballat, and Geſhem fenc unto me, ſay-
ing, Come let us meet together b in ſome one of the vil- lages in the plain of Ono c, But they thought to do
me miſchief.
b To conſulrabout the common ſervice of our Maſter the King of Perſia ; or to make a friendly Accomodation. c A City in the Tribe of Benjamin ; Of which ſee chap. 11, 35. and > Chron. 8. 12,
2 And 1 ſent meſiengers unto them, ſaying, Lam ' doing a great work 4d, ſo that I cannoc come down : why ſhould the work ceaſe, whilſt I leave it, and come
down to y Ou.
d He tells them one, but not the only, nor the principalreaſon of his refuſal, becauſe his coming might cauſe the work to ceaſe, not only by the negle& of it during his abſence, but by his death, which they by this means might compaſs ; though he thought ir not fir to expreſs ſo much ro them. :
4 Yet they ſent unto me four times after this ſort,
andT anſwered them after the ſame manner. 5 Then ſent Sanballat his ſervant unto me, in like manner the «fitth time, wich an open letter e in his
hand.
e Thereby bidding open Defiance to him, as before he had uſed ſecret Practices; and intimating thar he would do that by mani- feſt force, which he had intended to do by ſudden furprize-
6 Wherein was Written, It is reported among the heathen F, and || Gaſhmu g faith ir, that thou and the IOr, ©. ' Jews think to rebel : for which cauſe thou buildeſt the ſemver.
wall, that thou maiſt be their king, according to theſe
words þ.
f The neighbouring People whom you proudly and d:f{dainfully cail H.athens or Gentiles, g Called Gybem, v. 1. Who athrmed ir and would prove it. h 7, e. According to theſe reports; or, that thou maitt juſtifie and verifie theſe Rumours. Others according to theſe things, i, e, When theſe things whichthou art now doing ſhall be finiſhed. Bur the firſt ſenſe ſeems moſt agreeable to the uic of the ſame words in the next verſe.
7 And thou haſt alſo appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jeruſalem, ſaying, There is a king in Judah 3: and now fhall it be reported to the king, according to theſe words, Come now therefore,and let us take coun-
{el rogether &.
# We have now a King of our own Nation, and are free from the Bondage of a Forreign Yoke. k That we may impartially examin the matter, that cither thy Innocency may be cleared, and falſe Accuſations may be prevented ; or if thou art guilty, the King may be informed. :
S Then I ſent unto him, ſaying, There are no ſuch thingsdone as thou ſaiſt, but thou feigneſt them out of thine own hearr.
9 For they ail made us afraid 7, ſaying, Their hands {hall be weakened from the work, that it be not done«
Now therefore, O God, ſtrengthen my hands. [ 7. e. They endeavoured to do 1o, and aQtually did terrifie ſome Perioas.