The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 49

J udrea wo.s 1i1thlo to fo.minos a.bout this time So the Vulgate, and most commentators ; appears from Haggai i. 6, 9-11; ii. 16-19. but Bert~ea.u _has sho~ that the expression Ver. 4.-The king's tribute. Judrea, like used, which IS peculiar to Nehemiah can- other Persinn provincos, had to pay a tribute, not have this meaning, since it is n~t the partly in monoy and partly in kind, yearly taking of usury !hat _has bee~ complained of, to the Persian monarch (sea the comment or that Nehemiah IS especially anxious to on Ezra iv. 13) ; but there is no reason to stop, but the lending of money upon the believe that this burthen was generally felt security of lands, houses, or children with e.s oppressive, nor that it was heavier in its consequences, the forfeiture of th~ Janos Judrea than elsewhere. But by the very and houses, with the enslavement of the poor even a small amount of direct taxation children. He therefore translates, " I re- 1s felt as a. grievance ; and the necessity of buked the nobles, and the rulers, and said meeting the demands of the tax-gatherer was unto them, Ye lend upon pledge." I set a. in the ancient world often the turning-point, grea.t assembly a.gainst them. It fa evident which compelled the contracting of a. debt that Nehemiah's rebuke had no effect. Tho (Liv., ii. 23) ; and so it seems to have been nobles gave him no reason to think that with these complainants. they would change their conduct. He was Ver. 5. -Our :8eah is a.a the :8eah of our therefore compelled to bring the matter brethren. We love our own flesh and blood, before the people ; not that they had any poor e.s we a.re, just as much as do oux legal power, but he felt that the nobles richer brethren ; oux children a.re as dear to might be ashamed or afraid to continue us as theirs to them. The necessity which their oppression when it was openly de- compels us to bring into bondage our sons nounced by the chief civil ruler in the hear- and our daughters is therefore most grievous ing of a. great assembly of their countrymen. to us. Some of 011r daughters are brought Ver. 8.-We a.fter our ability have re- into bondage already. On the power of deemed our brethren. " We," here, may fathers to sell their daughters, see Exod. be either "we Jews of the captivity," in xxi. 7. Neither is it in our power to contrast with "you who have long returned redeem them. Literally, "nor is aught in from it," or " we of my house and house- the power of oux hands " (see Gen. xxxL 29). hold" (equive.lent to the '' I, my brethren, We have no remedy; it is not in oux power and my servants" of ver. 10), in contrast to effect any change. with "you rich Jews not of my household." Ver. 6.-I was very angry. It is not Nehemiah must appeal to a. well-known fa.et, clear that the letter of the law was infringed, that he and others had been in the habit of unless it were in the matter of ta.king redeeming enslaved Jews among the heathen. interest (ver. 11), of which the people had Will ye even sell your brethren 1 .An argu- not complained. That men might sell their mentum ad verecundiam. Will ye do the daughters to be concubines or secondary wives exact opposite 1 Cause youx brethren to be is clear from Exod. xxi. 7 ; and it is there- sold into slavery! .And not to heathen mas- fore probable that they might sell their sons ters, but to men of their own nation, unto us l for servants. But the servitude might only Roman creditors, if they sold their debtor be for six years (Exod. xxi. 2} ; and if a. slaves, were required by law to sell them jubilee year occurred before the sexennial across the Tiber-to men of a different race. period was out, the service was ended (Lev. It was felt to add to the indignity of the xxv. 10}. Land too might be either mort- slave condition that one should have to gaged or sold (ibid. vers. 14-16), but under serve one's own countryman, recently one's the condition that it returned to the seller, equal and (perhaps) acquaintance. They or at any rate to his tribe, in the jubilee held their pea.ce, and found nothing to year (ibid. vers. 10, 13}. The spirit, how- answer. Or, '' found never a word." The ever, of the law-the command, "Ye she.II argument told. It admitted of no reply. not oppress one e.nother" (ibid. vers. 14, 17) The nobles were ashamed, and had not a -was transgressed by the proceedings of the word to say. rich men. It was their duty in a time of Yer. 9. -Also I said. To silence the scarcity not to press hard upon their poorer nobles was not enough. To shame them brethren, but freely to e.llevie.te their neces- was not enough. What was wanted was to sities. Nehemie.li, his near relations, and persuade them. Nehemiah therefore con- his followers had done so to the utmost of tinued his address. It is not good that ye their power (ver. 10, with the comment). do. It is not good in itself, a.pa.rt from any The rich men had acted differently, e.nd contrast with what I have been doin~. made e.11 the profit that they could out of Ought ye not to walk-or, litere.lly, "will the need of their fellow-countrymen. Hence ye not walk" -in the fear of oux God 1 Will Nehemiah's anger. ye not really "fear God and keep his com- Ver. 7.-I rebuked the nobles, and the mandments," not in the letter only, but iu ruler■ , and said unto thom, Yo 11:z:aot usury. the spirit! Will ye not cease to oppress NllHl.lUAH, z 50 THE BOOK OF NEHE:\IIAII. [en. v. 1-13.