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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15-19

Nehemiah is here finishing the wall of Jerusalem, and yet still has trouble created him by his enemies. I. Tobiah, and the other adversaries of the Jews, had the mortification to see the wall built up, notwithstanding all their attempts to hinder it. The wall was begun and finished in fifty-two days, and yet we have reason to believe they rested on the sabbaths, Neh. 6:15. Many were employed, and there was room for them; what they did they did cheerfully, and minded their business because they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul ,.... The sixth month, answering to part of August and part of September: in fifty and two days ; which Aben Ezra reckons from the time that Sanballat sent his letter to Nehemiah, when no more were wanting than to set the doors upon the gates, Nehemiah 6:1 , but rather these, with Jarchi, must be reckoned from the time the building was begun; which, reckoning back from the twenty fifth of Elul, it will appear it was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 6:15

The twenty and fifth - of - Elul - This Jewish month answers to a part of our August and September. Fifty and two days - I see no difficulty in supposing that several thousand workmen, each of whom was working as for God, should be able to complete this wall in fifty-two days. There is little doubt that several parts of the old wall were entire; in many places the foundations still remained; there were all the materials of the old wall still at hand; and though they had... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:1-16

The temptations of earnest moral life and service. I. THE WAY IN WHICH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF EARNEST MORAL LIFE AND SERVICE ARE MADE KNOWN TO WICKED MEN . "Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein" ( Nehemiah 6:1 ). Christian life and service will make themselves known— 1. Naturally. The finished walls must be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:10-19

Enemies within. I. FALSE PROPHETS . Who prostituted their office by hiring themselves to the enemies without. For they "loved the wages of unrighteousness." 1. One tempted him to break the law by fleeing into the holy place, and shutting himself up there, where no one but a priest or Levite might enter. This he did on the pretence that Nehemiah's life was in danger (verse 10); and he hoped that the governor, consenting to the proposal, would bring himself into disgrace with the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:10-19

Trial and victory. Defeated again, the enemy has recourse to other schemes. It would be interesting to know what were the expectations with which Nehemiah set out from Susa to enter upon the work before him. If we could tell what was then in his mind, we should probably find there anticipations very unlike indeed to his actual experiences. Probably, if he could have foreseen his difficulties, he might have shrunk from the task. Happily we do not foresee the perplexities of Christian toil;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days . According to Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' Nehemiah 11:5 , § 8), the work of restoration occupied two years and four months, or 840 days, instead of fifty-two. And this period has been thought so much more probable than the smaller one, that moderns generally have accepted it, while some have even proposed to alter our present text of Nehemiah by the insertion of u-shnathayim, "and two years," at the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15-19

The good work finished in spite of man by the power of God. I. A great MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE POWER is a great casting down of God's enemies. 1. There is real weakness in all sin. "In their own eyes" defeat meant shame and confusion; but the true heart never doubts that its cause is right, even when success is delayed. 2. The world will perceive God ' s hand. When the finished work is before them they will not dare to deny who has accomplished it. Therefore we... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Nehemiah 6:15

Elul - The sixth month, corresponding to the latter part of August and the beginning of September.In fifty and two days - Josephus states that the repairs of the wall occupied two years and four months. But Nehemiah’s narrative is thoroughly consistent with itself, and contains in it nothing that is improbable. The walls everywhere existed at the time that he commenced his task, and only needed repairs. The work was partitioned among at least 37 working parties, who labored simultaneously, with... read more

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