Nehemiah 7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 7

The success of one good design for God and our generation should encourage us to proceed and form some other; Nehemiah did so, having fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls, his next care is, I. To see the city well kept, Neh. 7:1-4. II. To see it well peopled, in order to which he here reviews and calls over the register of the children of the captivity, the families that returned at first, and records it, Neh. 7:5-73. It is the same, in effect, with that which we had, Ezra 2:1-62 What use... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 7:1-4

God saith concerning his church (Isa. 62:6), I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem! This is Nehemiah's care here; for dead walls, without living watchmen, are but a poor defence to a city. I. He appointed the porters, singers, and Levites, in their places to their work. This is meant of their work in general, which was to attend the temple service; it had been neglected in some degree, but now was revived. God's worship is the defence of a place, and his ministers, when they mind... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 7:5-73

We have here another good project of Nehemiah?s; for wise and zealous men will be always contriving something or other for the glory of God and the edification of his church. He knew very well that the safety of a city, under God, depends more upon the number and valour of the inhabitants than upon the height or strength of its walls; and therefore, observing that the people were few that dwelt in it, he thought fit to take an account of the people, that he might find what families had... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 7 Nehemiah having built the wall, and set up the doors, appointed two persons to take the charge of the city, and set watches for the safety of it, and to take special care about opening and shutting the gates of it, Nehemiah 7:1 , and concerned he was for the peopling of it, and having found a register of the first comers to it, gives their names, Nehemiah 7:4 and some account of the freewill offerings made for the work they came about, Nehemiah 7:70 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:1

Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors ,.... Which was not done when Sanballat sent his first letter, but now was, Nehemiah 6:1 , and the porters and the singers, and the Levites were appointed ; not to attend the doors of the gates of the wall, but to return to their service in the temple, who had been employed in one thing or another, while the wall and gates were building and repairing; see Nehemiah 3:17 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:2

That I gave my brother Hanani ,.... Who first brought him the melancholy account of the state of Jerusalem, Nehemiah 1:2 , and Hananiah the ruler of the palace ; the king's palace, in which the viceroy of the king of Persia dwelt, and now Nehemiah; to these two men he gave charge over Jerusalem ; committed it to their care during his absence, who may be supposed now to return to Persia, as he had promised, Nehemiah 2:6 , for he was a faithful man ; this is said of Hananiah,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:3

And I said unto them, let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot ,.... Or until the heat of the day, or near noon; at least not till the sun had been up some time, and shone out clearly, and caused much heat; that if any enemies were near, or lying in wait, they might be discovered, and the inhabitants also up and ready to defend themselves: and while they stand by ; according to Aben Ezra, Hanani and Hananiah were to be present at the opening and shutting of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:4

Now the city was large and great ,.... The circumference of it, all within the wall; for that was built on its old foundation, and enclosed as much ground as ever it did: Hecataeus F2 Apud Euseb. Praepar. par. Evangel. l. 9. c. 4. p. 408. & apud Joseph. contr. Apion, l. 1. c. 22. , an Heathen writer, says the circumference of Jerusalem was fifty furlongs, which was more than six miles; but Josephus F3 De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 3. makes the circuit of it but thirty three... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:5

And my God put into mine heart ,.... Every good motion in him, and whatever he thought of that was conducive to the good and welfare of Jerusalem, Nehemiah always ascribed it to God; see 2 Corinthians 3:5 to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy ; that their number might be known, and of what families they were, and in what cities they formerly dwelt; and this was not only of use for the present purpose of Nehemiah, but was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 7:6-69

These are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity ,.... Who were of the province of Judea, as it was now reduced, and came up out of the captivity of Babylon through the edict of Cyrus; see Ezra 2:1 , where the same preface is given to the list of names as here; and from hence to the end of Nehemiah 7:69 the same account is given of persons and families as there, with some little difference of numbers and names; in some instances there are more in this list, in... read more

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