419 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up,.... Either in his own house, or in a chamber in the temple, as if he had given himself up to meditation, fasting, and prayer; or, as he might suggest to Nehemiah, for his safety, and so designed it as an example to him; this man might be a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I said, should such a man as I flee?.... The king's commissioner, who had the conducting and management of the whole affair of building the wall of Jerusalem, on whom it wholly depended; for, should he absent himself, the people would depart and leave their work, and the city and wall be left defenceless, which was what was hoped for from this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him,.... Because he advised to that which was against the cause of God and true religion: but that he pronounced the prophecy against me; for by fleeing, as he advised, it would seem that he was guilty of the crimes of rebellion and treason he was charged with; and leaving the people, as they would in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin,.... By distrusting the power and providence of God to protect him, and by going into such a part of the temple, which he, being no priest, had no right to go into: and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me; as a rebel and traitor against the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
My God, think thou on Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works,.... Their wicked counsels and schemes, and not only confound and disappoint them, but reward them as they deserve: and on the prophetess Noadiah: whom Aben Ezra takes to be the same with Shemaiah, because he said, נועד, "let us meet", c. Ne 6:10, but no doubt it is the name...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, Ne 6:1, but rather these, with Jarchi,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof,.... That the wall was finished: and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things; the neighbouring nations, who not only heard with their ears, but saw with their eyes what was done: they were much cast down in their own eyes; through shame and confusion, because of their own...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Moreover, in those days,.... While the wall was building: the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them; letters passed between them frequently, they informing him how things went on at Jerusalem, and he advising them to what was detrimental to the true interest of their nation; such false friends had...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For there were many in Judah sworn unto him,.... To Tobiah, who not only in a private manner corresponded with him by letters, but bound themselves by an oath to him to be true to his interest, and do as he should advise them: because he was the son in law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah; of a family that came up with Zerubbabel from the captivity,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Also they reported his good deeds before me,.... Recommended him as a very worthy man, deserving of respect and notice by Nehemiah, and to be taken into his friendship, and admitted to conversation with him, whose counsel and advice might be of service: and uttered my words to him; reported both what he said and did; for the word used signifies...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, Ne 7:1, and concerned he was for the peopling of it, and having found a register of the first comers to it,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, Ne 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
That I gave my brother Hanani,.... Who first brought him the melancholy account of the state of Jerusalem, Ne 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 (b), an Heathen writer, says the circumference of Jerusalem was fifty furlongs, which was more than six miles; but Josephus (c) makes the circuit of it but thirty three...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 Ne 7:69 the same account is given of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[See comments on Ne 7:6].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[See comments on Ne 7:6].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
[See comments on Ne 7:6].