419 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
After them the Tekoites repaired another piece,.... Having finished what they undertook in another part of the wall, Ne 3:5, they engage in this part of it; which shows their great zeal and diligence, when their nobles were so backward to it, and withdrew from it: over against the great tower that lieth out; the same as in the preceding verse:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
From above the horse gate repaired the priests,.... So called, either because near it were stables for horses; or through it horses were led to be watered at the brook of Kidron, to which it was near; or to be exercised in the valley; Josephus (c) speaks of the "hippie", or horse tower, which might be near it: everyone over against his house; for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer, over against his house,.... After the last of the priests, this begun where they ended, and repaired as far as his house reached; and being, perhaps, a person of some note, his house might be a large one: after him repaired also Shemaiah, the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate; that is, of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece,.... This last man had six sons; but only his youngest son wrought at this work, which is observed to his great commendation: after him repaired Shelemiah the son of Berechiah, over against his chamber; the same as in Ne 3:4 who having finished what...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
After him repaired Malchiah, the goldsmith's son,.... Or the son of Tzoreph, as some, so called from his business: unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants; he repaired up to the place where these dwelt: over against the gate Miphkad; where some think was an house of visitation or correction; and others, where the sanhedrim sat, tried...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate,.... Where the building first began and where it now ended: repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants; or druggists; which was done at their expense; and so the wall all round, with the gates of it, were rebuilt and repaired, which was all done in fifty two days, Ne 6:15.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Nehemiah 4 This chapter relates, how the Jews, while building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no answer was returned but by prayer to God, and they went on notwithstanding in their work, Ne 4:1 and how that their enemies conspired against them, to hinder them by force of arms, Ne 4:7 to oppose which, both spiritual and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall,.... Or were building it; for as yet it was not finished, see Ne 4:6, he was wroth, and took great indignation; inwardly, though outwardly he pretended to treat the work with contempt, as if it never would be accomplished, which yet he feared: and mocked the Jews; as a set of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he spake before his brethren,.... Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, and perhaps some other governors of the king of Persia in those parts: and before the army of Samaria: which, and the inhabitants of it, were implacable enemies of the Jews: and said, what do these feeble Jews? what do they pretend to do, or what can they do? will...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him,.... Who was one of his brethren he spake before, Ne 4:2, and he said; in the like contemptuous and scoffing manner; even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall; signifying not only that it was so low that a fox could easily get up to it, or leap over it; but that the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Hear, O our God, for we are despised,.... Here begins the prayer of Nehemiah, who had been informed of what these men said in contempt of him, and his builders, and to whom he sent no answer, but applied to God: and turn their reproach upon their own head; as they have despised and reproached us, let them be despised and reproached by their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee,.... Let it not go unpunished, and even let it not be pardoned; which is spoken, not from a private spirit of revenge, but from a public spirit for the glory of God, and his justice; and not as a mere imprecation, but as a prophecy of what would be the case, in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So built we the wall,.... Went on in building it, notwithstanding their scoffs and threats: and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof; it was carried all round the city to half the height of it: for the people had a mind to work; their heart was in it, they had a good will to it, and they made haste to finish it.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians,.... Who were under and influenced by Geshem the Arabian: and the Ammonites; over whom Tobiah was governor: and the Ashdodites; who were of Ashdod or Azotus, one of the principalities of the Philistines, who were always enemies to the Jews: heard that the walls of Jerusalem were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And conspired all of them together,.... All the above men and people entered into a confederacy and combination: to come and to fight against Jerusalem; to bring an army with them, and by force cause the Jews to desist; the Jews (e) pretend they came to war, and brought with them an army of 180,000 men, which is not probable: and to hinder it; the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God,.... Spread their case before him in prayer, entreating direction and help from him: and set a watch against them day and night, because of them; to give notice of their approach, that they might prepare to defend themselves; though they prayed to God, and trusted in him for deliverance, they did not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Judah said,.... Several of the men of Judah: the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed; through much labour, in carrying heavy loads of stone and timber to the builders, and yet more through fear of the enemy: and there is much rubbish; which ought to be removed, but that the labourers were so weak that they could not do it: so that we...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And our adversaries said, they shall not know,.... Our designs upon them: neither see; or perceive what we are about to do: till we come in the midst of them; with an army suddenly, at an unawares, and unexpected: and slay them; they being unarmed, and not prepared to defend themselves: and cause the work to cease; as it must in course, the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ver. 12 And it came to pass, when the Jews that dwelt by them,.... Near Samaria, Arabia, and Ashdod, and had intelligence of their designs: came, they said to us ten times; that is, they came to them at Jerusalem, and often told them, as this phrase "ten times" signifies, [See comments on Genesis 31:7], from all places whence ye shall return unto...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall,.... Where the wall was lowest, and the enemy could more easily break it down, or get over it: and on the higher places; where the wall was higher; or rather on the towers upon the walls, as the word signifies the tops of rocks, which are dry and smooth, see Ezekiel 24:2. I even set the people...