The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 30

description which is full of life and activity. from the modern "DamMCUs gate." It ie Tho pa.sse.ge is invaluable to the topographer, thought to 1:>e so called from being the gate nnd though not resolving nil the difficnlties through which fish were brought in from with which he meets in his nttempts to the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. The locks thereof should rather be "the bars reproduce the plan of the nncient city, thereof" ; and the bare, "the sockets " or furnishes more effectual help thnn all other "catches," which held the bars. The gates existing notices on the subject put together. of towns in ancient times were almost always secured in this way. Ver. 1.-Then Elie.shib the high priest Ver. 4. -The son of Xoz. Rather ' the roae up. It is satisfactory to find Eliashib son of Hakkoz." Meshulle.m the son of the high priest taking the po.rt which be- Berechia.h is mentioned;again in eh. vi. 13. fitted him on this occasion. Subsequently Ver. 5.-The Tekoites are the people of we find him "allied" by marriage to Tobiah Tekoah, whenc,e came the "wise woman" (eh. xiii. 4), and guilty of a profanation of whom J oa.b sent to incline David to fetch the temple (ibi,d. ver. 5). By the line of home Absalom (2 Kings xiv. 2, 3). It was high priests given in eh. xii. 10, 11, it a. small place, and does not appear, either in appears that Elia.shib was the son of J oiakim, the catalogue of those who returned with and the grandson of the J eshua who returned Zerubbabel (Ezra ii. 20-35 ; N eh. vii. 25- from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra ii. 2 ; 38), or in the censllil list of Nehemiah (eh. iii. 2). With his brethren. The priests xi 25-35). Their nobles put not their generally. Compare ver. 28, which shows necks to the work. This imputation of that the priests undertook a portion of the blame has been thought out of harmony eastern wall, besides the work here men- with the general narrative contained in the tioned. Builded the sheep gate. The chapter, and various emendations have been "sheep gate" appears to have been a gate proposed to remove the so-called difficulty. in the eastern wall, the 1rpol3armi of St. But it has really first to be shown that a John (v. 2), which was close to the pool difficulty exists. Surely it would have been of Bethesda. By this gate were brought in more strange if there had been no opposition the sheep needed for sacrifice, which were to Nehemiah's wishes-no withdrawal from then washed in the adjoining pool, and the work, than if there were the amount of conveyed from it into the temple area., opposition that is recorded. And supposing whereon the pool a.buts. The priests dwelt opposition to be made, why should Nehe- principally in this portion of the city. They miah not notice it 1 In music, the force and sanctified it. This appears to have been a value of harmonious notes is brought out dedication quite distinct from that which is by a.n occasional discord. A desire to do described in eh. xii. 27-43. The priests, honour to those who deserved it would be having completed the rebuilding of the sheep quite compatible with a. determination to gate, and of the wall extending from 1t brand with disgrace the undeserving. And northwards as far as the tower of Hananeel, the contrast would enhance the value of the anticipated the general dedication by e. praise. Thus, there is no reason for disturb- special one, which "sanctified," or conse- ing the existing tert, nor for questioning its crated, their own portion of the wall. Thus plain meaning. The upper classes at Tekoah, a sacred character was impressed on the work the adirim or "exalted," withdrew from the at the earliest possible moment, and it was work, like oxen withdrawing their necks placed under the protection of the Almighty. from the yoke, and stood aloof, leaving it to The tower of Meah (or rather Hammeah, i. e. the common people to engage in it, or not, 'the Hundred") and the tower of Hane.- as they pleased. The common people were neel appear to have been situated almost at perhaJ?S moved to the greater zeal by the the same point of the wall. Perhaps they defection of their 'natural leaders. 'l;hey were opposite each other, like the towers in were among those who accomplished a double the walls of Ba.bylon (Herod., i. 179). task, repairing a second portion of the wall Ver. 2.-Next to Elie.shib builded the (ver. 27) after having finished their first. men of Jericho, who were assigned the north- Ver. 6.-The old gate mll'St either have eastern corner of the wall, as the part nearest corresponded to the modern " Damascus to their own town. The inclusion of Jericho gate," or have been in its near neighbour- in tho restored Judma. had appeared from hood. It is not mentioned elsewhere. Ezra ii. 34. Ver. 7.-Gibeonand Mi.zpahlaydue north Ver. 8.-It is strange that the sons of of Jerusalem, at the distance respectively of He.ssene.a.h, who built the fourth pioce of about 5½ and 4½ miles. The inhabitants wall, are not mentioned by name. There is were set to repair the middle part of the no other similar omission. The ftah ge.te, north wall. Unto the throne of the governo-r which they built, was in the northern wall, on this aide the river. So the Septuagint ; towards ita eastern extremity, and not far e.nd, e.mong modems, Michaelis, Pool, ant!  28 TIIE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. (err. m. l-32.