Nehemiah 5:16

. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:59 Ver. 59. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:60 Ver. 60. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:61 Ver. 61. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:62 Ver. 62. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:63 Ver. 63. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:64 Ver. 64. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:65 Ver. 65. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". Nehemiah 7:66 Ver. 66. See Gill on "Nehemiah 7:6". . See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:7 Ver. 7. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:8 Ver. 8. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:9 Ver. 9. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:10 Ver. 10. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:11 Ver. 11. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:12 Ver. 12. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:13 Ver. 13. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:14 Ver. 14. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:15 . See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:16 Ver. 16. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:17 Ver. 17. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:18 Ver. 18. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:19 Ver. 19. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:20 Ver. 20. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:21 Ver. 21. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:22 Ver. 22. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". Nehemiah 10:23 Ver. 23. See Gill on "Nehemiah 10:1". . And Maaseiah,.... Who seems to be the same with Asaiah, 1 Chronicles 9:5 and whose genealogy is carried up through Baruch, Colhozeh, Hazaiah, Adaiah, Joiarib, Zechariah, to Shiloni; perhaps the same with Shelah, another son of Judah, see 1 Chronicles 9:5. Nehemiah 11:6 Ver. 6. All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. And so well qualified to defend the city against its enemies. Nehemiah 11:7 Ver. 7. And these are the sons of Benjamin,.... That were of that tribe, and inhabited Jerusalem, namely, that follow: Sallu the son of Meshullam; who from him is traced up through Joed, Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, to Jesaiah. Nehemiah 11:8 Ver. 8. And after him,.... That is, Sallu: were Gabbai and Sallai; in all nine hundred and twenty eight; there were more of the tribe of Benjamin than of the tribe of Judah, they having perhaps a greater share in the city, or were better disposed to dwell in it. Nehemiah 11:9 Ver. 9. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer,.... Or chief governor of the city: and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city; or the deputy governor of it; so Pitholaus is called an under governor in Jerusalem by Josephus {l} {l} Antiqu. l. 14. c. 6. sect. 1. Nehemiah 11:10

5:14-19 Those who truly fear God, will not dare to do any thing cruel or unjust. Let all who are in public places remember that they are so placed to do good, not to enrich themselves. Nehemiah mentions it to God in prayer, not as if he had merited any favour from God, but to show that he depended upon God only, to make up to him what he had lost and laid out for his honour. Nehemiah evidently spake and acted as one that knew himself to be a sinner. He did not mean to claim a reward as of debt, but in the manner that the Lord rewards a cup of cold water given to a disciple for his sake. The fear and love of God in the heart, and true love of the brethren, will lead to every good work. These are proper evidences of justifying faith; and our reconciled God will look upon persons of this character for good, according to all they have done for his people.

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,.... Of building the wall of Jerusalem; here he gave his constant attendance to direct and encourage the workmen, and see that they kept to their work, and did it well: neither bought we any land; neither he nor the principal men with him, though they could have bought it cheap, but they chose not to take the advantage of the poverty of the people: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work: all were employed in it, taking no wages for their work, being maintained at his expense.

Nehemiah 5:16 . Yea, also I continued in the work — Overseeing, directing, and encouraging the workmen, which was my whole business; and this at my own cost. Neither bought we any land — Of our poor brethren, whose necessities gave abundant opportunities of enriching myself by good bargains. And all my servants were gathered unto the work — They also were constantly employed in the same work, and received no pay for their labour, though they could not be so employed without the neglect of my own private business.

Verse 16. - I continued in the work of this wall . Literally, "I repaired ," like the others ( Nehemiah 3:4-31 ). I employed myself not in buying up men's fields at low prices, and so enriching myself, but in the restoring and repairing of the wall, over which I exercised a constant superintendence. All my servants were gathered thither . See Nehemiah 4:16 . Nehemiah 5:16

In the work of this wall; overseeing, directing, and encouraging the workmen, which was my whole business; and this at my own cost. Neither bought we any land of our poor brethren, whose necessities gave me abundant opportunity of enriching myself with good bargains. But I durst not build my house upon other men’s ruins.

16 . Yea also I continued in the work , &c.] R.V. marg. ‘Heb. held fast to ’. It does not appear certain whether Nehemiah here refers to his continuous supervision of the building or to his personal share in the work of restoration at his own cost of some portion of it. The word rendered ‘continued’ (used in its literal sense of ‘held’ in Nehemiah 4:16 ) admits of either application. neither bought we any land ] In connexion with the previous and the following clauses, these words should be taken to mean that Nehemiah and his friends were too strenuously occupied to interest themselves in the purchase of lands. Former governors had possibly made investments in good land. Such transactions were incompatible with Nehemiah’s ceaseless devotion to the work. But it is necessary also to regard the words as an allusion to the substance of Nehemiah 5:10 . Although they had abundant opportunity to make private gain out of mortgaged property, they withstood the temptation of enriching themselves out of their fellow-countrymen. The word ‘land’ is the same as that which in the Plur. the R.V. has altered to ‘fields’ in Nehemiah 5:3-5; Nehemiah 5:11 . all my servants were gathered ] Their work at the wall and in Nehemiah’s employ was too incessant to permit of the inspection of purchaseable land or of its proper cultivation if they had purchased it.

15. the former governors … had taken … bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver—The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.

"And also I took part in the work of this wall; neither bought we any land, and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work." בּ החזיק equals בּ יד החזיק, to set the hand to something; here, to set about the work. The manner in which Nehemiah, together with his servants, set themselves to the work of wall-building is seen from Nehemiah 4:10 , Nehemiah 4:12 , Nehemiah 4:15 , and Nehemiah 4:17 . Neither have we (I and my servants) bought any land, i.e., have not by the loan of money and corn acquired mortgages of land; comp. Nehemiah 5:10 .