Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10:8

To cease. &c. - As they abused the king by their misinformations, in the obtaining of this order, so they abused him in the execution of it; for the order was only to prevent the walling of the city. But having power in their hands, they, on this pretence, stopt the building of the temple. See what need we have to pray, not only for kings, but for all in authority under them: because the quietness of our lives depends much on the integrity and wisdom of inferior magistrates as well as the supreme.

Nehemiah 10:9

Darius - Darius the son of Hystaspes, successor of Cambyses.

Nehemiah 10:11

The son - His grand - child; for he was the son of Baraciah. Prophesied - Commanding them from God to return to building the temple, with a promise of his favour and assistance.

Nehemiah 10:12

Helping - Encouraging the people to work by their presence, and assurance of success. It is supposed, the work had stopt about fifteen years. The first chapter of Haggai is the best comment on these two verses.

Nehemiah 10:13

Shethar - boznai - Not Rehum and Shimshai, &c. who were either dead, or removed from their office by Darius.

Nehemiah 10:18

Great God - And indeed, thus far the greater part of the Samaritans agreed with them.

Nehemiah 10:27

Now therefore. &c. - If the case had been so fairly stated to Artaxerxes, he would hardly have hindered the work. The people of God could not be persecuted, if they were not belied.

Nehemiah 10:29

A decree - To search the rolls in Babylon, where search was first made; but not finding the edict there, they searched in Achmetha, or Ecbatana, and found it.

Nehemiah 10:30

Achmetha - The royal city of the Medes and Persians.

Nehemiah 10:31

Cubits - Those proportions differ from those of Solomon’s temple, which was but thirty cubits high, only the porch was a hundred and twenty cubits high, and but twenty cubits in breadth. Either therefore Solomon’s cubits were sacred cubits, which were larger than the other, and these but common cubits. Or, the sixty cubits of height are meant only for the porch. And the word rendered breadth, may be rendered the extension or the length of it; it being improbable that the king should give orders about the breadth, and none about the length of it.