Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11:1

Destroy - Tho’ this temple was at length most justly destroyed by the righteous hand of God, yet perhaps the Romans, who were the instruments of that destruction, felt the effects of this curse. For that empire sensibly declined ever after, ’till it was wholly destroyed.

Nehemiah 11:3

Through the prophesying - This is a seasonable intimation that this great and unexpected success was not to be ascribed to chance, or to the kindness or good humour of Darius, but unto God only, who by his prophets had required and encouraged them to proceed in the work, and by his mighty power disposed Darius’s heart to such kind and noble purposes.

Nehemiah 11:10

Children of Israel - Probably some out of each of the twelve tribes.

Nehemiah 11:11

Joyful - He had given them both cause to rejoice, and hearts to rejoice. God is the fountain whence all the streams of true joy flow. Of Assyria - Of the king of Persia, who was now king of Assyria also, here so called emphatically, to note the great power and goodness of God in turning the hearts of these great monarchs, whose predecessors had been the chief persecutors and oppressors of God’s people.

Nehemiah 11:13

Artaxerxes - The same of whom he speaks, chap.6:14. The son - His grand - son. Here are divers persons omitted for brevity sake, which may be supplied out of 1 Chronicles 6:1 - 11:47. Ezra was not himself the high priest; but he was nearly related to him.

Nehemiah 11:18

Went - With the king’s consent and commission. Scribe - A learned and expert doctor. The Jews say, he collected and collated all the copies of the law, and published an accurate edition of it, with all the books that were given by Divine inspiration, and so made up the canon of the Old Testament. Moses in Egypt, and Ezra in Babylon, were wonderfully fitted for eminent service to the church. According, &c. - By the favour of God so disposing the heart of the king.

Nehemiah 11:22

To teach - The order of things in this verse is very observable; first he endeavours to understand God’s law and word, and that not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice: next he consciously practises what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual: and then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct others, that they also might know and do it.

Nehemiah 11:23

Words - The phrase seems emphatical, noting that he explained both the words and the things: for the Jews in the land of their captivity had in a great measure lost both the language, and the knowledge of God’s commands, and therefore Ezra and his companions instructed them in both.

Nehemiah 11:26

According, &c. - To make inquiry into all abuses and deviations from your law, and to redress them. Which - Which is now and always in thine hand, being the matter of thy daily study.

Nehemiah 11:28

Find - Procure, as that word is used, Genesis 6:8 26:12 Psal 84:3. Whatsoever thou canst get of my subjects by way of free gift. The people - Of Israel.