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דברי1697 נחמיה5166 בן1121 חכליה2446 ויהי1961 בחדשׁ2320 כסלו3691 שׁנת8141 עשׂרים6242 ואני589 הייתי1961 בשׁושׁן7800 הבירה׃1002

Ne 10:1

Verse 1. The words of Nehemiah] That this book was compiled out of the journal or memoranda made by Nehemiah himself, there can be no doubt: but that he was not the compiler is evident from several passages in the work it. self. As it is written consecutively as one book with Ezra, many have supposed that this latter was the author: but whoever compares the style of each, in the Hebrew, will soon be convinced that this is not correct; the style is so very different, that they could not possibly be the work of the same person.

It is doubtful even whether the Nehemiah who is mentioned Ezra ii. 2, who came to Jerusalem with ZerubbHebel, be the same with him who is the reputed author of this book. By the computation of the best chronologists, ZerubbHebel came to Jerusalem in A. M. 3468; and Nehemiah, who is here mentioned, did not come before the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, which falls in with A. M. 3558, ninety years after: and as his account here is carried down to A. M. 3570, nearly twenty years later, he must at his death have been about a hundred and thirty, allowing him to have been only twenty years old at the time that ZerubbHebel went up to Jerusalem. This is by no means likely, as this would make him the king's cupbearer when he was upwards of a hundred years of age! It seems, therefore, evident that the Nehemiah of Ezra cannot be the same with the reputed author of this book, and the cup-bearer of the Persian king.

Son of Hachaliah] Of what tribe or lineage he was, we cannot tell: this is all we know of his parentage. Some suppose he was a priest, and of the house of Aaron, on the authority of 2 Mac. i. 18, 21; but this is but slender evidence. It is likely he was of a very eminent family, if not of the blood royal of Judah, as only persons of eminence could be placed in the office which he sustained in the Persian court.

The month Chisleu] Answering to a part of our November and December.

Twentieth year] That is, of Artaxerxes, A. M. 3558, B. C. 446.

Shushan the palace] The ancient city of Susa; called in Persian Shuster: the winter residence of the Persian kings.

Ver. 1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah , etc.] Or his transactions and deeds; for yrbd “dibre” signifies things done, as well as words spoken; who Hachaliah his father was is not known; the Arabic version adds, the high priest, without any foundation; though some have thought that Nehemiah was a priest, from a passage in “Therefore whereas we are now purposed to keep the purification of the temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Chisleu, we thought it necessary to certify you thereof, that ye also might keep it, as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire, which was given us when Neemias offered sacrifice, after that he had builded the temple and the altar.” (2 Maccabees 1:18) and from signing and sealing the covenant at the head of priests, ( Nehemiah 10:1), but he rather seems to be of the tribe of Judah, (see Nehemiah 2:3,5), and Nehemiah may be the same that went up with Zerubbabel, and returned again, and then became the king’s cupbearer; though some are of another opinion, (See Gill on “ Ezra 2:2”), and it came to pass in the month Chisleu ; the ninth month, as the Arabic version; of which (see Ezra 10:9), in the twentieth year ; not of Nehemiah’s age, for, if he went up with Zerubbabel, he must be many years older; but in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, ( Nehemiah 1:1), as I was in Shushan the palace ; a city in Persia, the royal seat of the kings of it; as Ecbatana was in the summer time, this in the spring, as Cyrus made it, according to Xenophon f2 ; but others say it was their seat in winter, and this was the season now when Nehemiah was with the king there; for Chisleu was a winter month, answering to part of November and of December; of Shushan, (see Gill on “ Daniel 8:2”), to which may be added what a traveller of the last century says of it, “we rested at Valdac, once the great city Susa, but now very ruinous; it was first built by Tythonus, and his son Memnon, but enlarged by Darius the son of Hystaspes; in the building whereof Memnon was so exceeding prodigal, that, as Cassiodorus writeth, he joined the stones together with gold--such was the beauty and delectableness of it for situation, that they called it “Susa”, which in the Persian tongue signified a “lily”, but now it is called Valdac, because of the poverty of the place;” and it is generally supposed to have its name from the abundance of lilies about it; but Dr. Hyde gives another signification of its name, he says the Persians called it , “Sus”, which signifies “liquorice”, but for what reasons he says not. There is a city now called Shustera, and is thought by some travellers to be built at least very near where Shushan formerly stood f6 .

--Nehemiah was the Persian king's cup-bearer. When God has work to do he will never want instruments to do it with. Nehemiah lived at ease and in honour, but does not forget that he is an Israelite, and tha his brethren are in distress. He was ready to do them all the goo offices he could; and that he might know how best to do them kindness, he makes inquiries about them. We should inquire especiall concerning the state of the church and religion. Every Jerusalem of this side the heavenly one will have some defect, which will requir the help and services of its friends. Nehemiah's first application wa to God, that he might have the fuller confidence in his application to the king. Our best pleas in prayer are taken from the promise of God the word on which he has caused us to hope. Other means must be used but the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails most Communion with God will best prepare us for our dealings with men. When we have intrusted our concerns to God, the mind is set at liberty; i feels satisfaction and composure, and difficulties vanish. We know tha if the affair be hurtful, he can easily hinder it; and if it be goo for us, he can as easily forward it _________________________________________________

דברי1697 נחמיה5166 בן1121 חכליה2446 ויהי1961 בחדשׁ2320 כסלו3691 שׁנת8141 עשׂרים6242 ואני589 הייתי1961 בשׁושׁן7800 הבירה׃1002