The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 135

ad loc. ). Unto their brethren. I. e. to the sins m~~ strongly denounced by Jeremiah priests nnd Levites, brethren of Shelemiah (c~.. xvu. 21-27) e.nd Ezekiel (eh. xx. 13; e.nd Pedainh. xxu. 8, 26, &c.). And did not our God Ver. 14. -Remember me, 0 my God, Or, bring all this evil upon ua and upon this "Think upon me, my God," as the same city l God had so.id by Jeremiah "If ye words a.re translated in eh. v. 19. Wipe not will not hearken unto me to hallow the out my good deeds. I. e. " Blot not my sabbath de.y, and not to bear a burden even good deeds out of thy remembrance" -forget entering in at the gates of Jerusalem ~n the them not, let them be remembered in my sabbath day ; then will I kindle a fire in the favour. For the offices thereof. Rather, as gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces in the margin, "for the observances thereof" of Jerusalem, e.nd it shall not be quenched" --i. e. for the maintenance of the rites, cere- (Jer. xvii 27). The burning of the city by monies, usages, &c. of the temple, which I Nebuzaradan was the performance of this have done my best to continue on the ancient threat. footing. Ver. 19.-When the go.tea of lernsa.lem Ver. 15.-In those de.ye. A note of time began to be dark before the ae.bbe.th. The even vaguer than the.t of eh. xii. 44 and eh. Jews he.ve always reckoned their days from xiii. 1, but pointing carte.inly to a date later sunset to sunset, grounding their practice on than Nehemiah's return from the Persian the account of the Creation given in the first court. Se.w I some tree.ding wine-presses chapter of Genesis, where "the evening and on the sa.bbe.th. On the treading of grapes the morning" are said to constitute each of in the wine-press, as the first step towards the six days. There was also a special com- the production of wine, see Job xxiv. 11 ; mand that the "sabbath" of the great day Isa. lxiii 2, 3, &c. The performance of this of aionement should be kept "from even to work on the sabbath we.s a flagrant breach even" (Levit. xxiii. 32). I commanded that of the fourth commandment. Bringing the gates should be shut. The gates would in sheaves and le.ding asses. Scarcely as a matter of course have been shut at =- "sheaves" in our sense of the word, since set. Nehemiah required that the closing corn was not stored in sheaves. Rather, should take place some half-hour earlier, "bringing grain and loading it upon e.sses." when the shadows were lengthening, and the As also. Rather, "and even." It might day was drawing towards a close. He re- be pleaded that the transport of grain was e. garded it as e. sort of desecration of the necessity; but there could be no absolute se.bbath to carry on secular work to the last need or a supply of wine, grapes, or figs. I e.llowable moment. Some of my servants. testi.fled age.inst them in the day in which Compare eh. iv. 16 ; v. 16. That there they sold victuals. Rather, "I testified should be no burthen brought in. Foot against them in respect of the day on which passengers were no doubt allowed to enter they sold provisions." e.nd leave the city on the sabbath, Nehe- Ver. 16.-There dwelt men of Tyre also mie.h's serve.nts being set to see that under therein. It was not against the law that no pretence should merchandise be allowed foreigners should dwell in Jerusalem. Arau-. to enter. nah the Jebusite lived there in the time of Ver. 20. -The merchants . . . . lodged David, and Ebed-melech the Ethiopian in without. The merchants could not leave the time of Zedekiah (Jer. xxxviii. 7). Nehe- their wa.res unguarded ; e.nd the we.res not miah does not object to the Tyrians for being being e.dmitted into the town, they were dwellers in Jerusalem, but for offering their obliged to camp out. Thus a crowd was wares for sale there on the sabbath, and in- collected a.bout the gates, e.nd e. disturbance ducing the Jews to buy of them. Which e.nd excitement caused, which we.s unsuit- brought fish. Fish was always e. favourite able for the se.bbath. To prevent this, Nehe- article of food with the Israelites (Levit. xi. miah threatened to e.rrest the merchants, 9 ; Num. xi. 5; Deut. xiv. 9; Isa. xix. 10 ; whereupon the practice was given up (ver. Matt. xiv. 7 ; xv. 34 ; Luke xxiv. 42, &c.). 21). • They derived it chiefly from the Sea of Ver. 22.-And I comme.nded the Levites Galilee and the Mediterranean. . . . that they ahonld come and keep the Ver. 17. -Then I contended with the gates. Assigning the duty to his servants nobles. Jn the desecration of the se.bbath, was probably e. temporary arrangement. The as in the non-po.yment of tithes, the nobles permanent char"e was committed to the were the chief offenders, being at once luxuri- Levites, who baa been intrusted with the ous and latitudine.rian. They desired the duty when the gates were first set up (eh. freshest food for their feasts, and encouraged vii. 1). They were to "cleanse," or purify, both foreigners and natives to break the law themselves, because the charge was con- for the gratification of their ce.mal appetites. sidered a se.cred one. Remember me, 0 my Ver. 18. - Did not your fathers thus 1 God, oonoernillg thia also. Compare ver. The desecration of the sabbath is among the 14. And spare me. It is worthy of notic& 142 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [OB, XIII, 1-81 .