The History of the Bible, Nehemiah
NEHEMIAH.
Q. Why is this booke called Nehemiah?
A. Becauſe hee is a principall doer in the work, ſet down in this booke.
Q. What is the ſubſtance of it?
A. The repaire of Ieruſalem decaied.
Q. Into how many parts is it deuided?
A. Into two: the cauſe of the worke, and the worke.
Q. Who was the efficient cauſe?
A. God by the hand of Nehemiah.
Q. Who was this Nehemiah, and how is he deſcribed?
chapter 1 A. By kindred a Iew, by trade of life a courtier, by office the kings butler, and by the place where he was, which was thekings court at Shuſhan, which whas the chiefe citie of Perſia, builded by Darius.
Q. How was he mooued to this worke?
A. By hearing of the miſerie of the people and citie of God.
Q By whome?
A. By Hanani and other men of Iudah.
Q. What heard he of the miſerie of the peoples
A. That they were in great affliction and reproch.
Q. What of the citie of Ieruſalem?
A. That the wals were broken down, and the gates burnt with fire.
Q. How procured he meanes to helpe them?
A. Two waies: firſt to God, next to man.
Q. How to God?
A. Firſt hee humbled himſelfe by faſting, confeſſing their ſins: next hee prayeth for his gratious aſſiſtance.
Q. How prepared hee meanes of man?
chapter 2 A. He made his ſuire to the king and queene for leaue to goe, for letters of ſafe conduct, & for matter to help to repaire the gates and walles.
Q. What was the euent of his ſuite?
A. God heard his prayer, inclined the king to grant his requeſt and ſo he went ſafe to Hieruſalem.
Q. Concerning the ſecond part, which is the worke of the repaire of Ieruſalem, how is it deuided?
A. Into two parts: firſt the repaire of the citie walles, cha.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The ſecond, the repaire of the peoples manners in the reſidue of the booke.
Q. In the repaire of the walles how many things are to be obſerued?
A. Three: firſt the entrance into the worke.
2. The hinderances of the worke.
3. The finiſhing of it.
Q. In the entrance into the worke, how many things are ſet downe,
A. Three: firſt a view and ſuruey is taken of the wants, c. 2.13.
Secondly, a conſultation with the rulers verſ. 17.
Thirdly, the appointing of the people what to doe, and where they ſhould build. ca. 3,
Q. What were the hinderances of this building?
A. Firſt, they were derided by enemies, chap. 2.19. Secondly, Sanballat, Tobias, and Geſhem, conſpired againſt them by battell to hinder the worke, chap. 4. Thirdly, a ciuill diſſention amongſt themſelues, becauſe they were oppreſſed by the great men, chapter 5. Fourthly; falſe prophets were hyred by fearing them to diſcourage them from the worke. chap. 6.10.
Q. How were theſe hinderances withſtood?
A. The principall refuge he had, was prayer to God, who gaue him courage to deſpiſe their skornes, wiſedome to auoide their ſubtilties, ſtrength to withſtand their forces, and power to performe the worke, labouring with the one hand, and holding their weapon withthe other, and ſo the work was finiſhed. chap. 6.15.
Q. How was this working of repairing the wall ended?
A. Firſt, there was a watch ſet to keepe the citie, chap. 7. Secondly, there was a folemne aſſembly to heare the word which Ezraread out of a pulpit of wood.
Thirdly, the feaſt of Tabernacles was kept with thank ſgiuing, and great ioy, cap. 8.
Q. How was the word read?
A. They read it diſtinctly, gaue the ſenſe, and cauſed them to vnderſtand the reading.
Q. Concerning the ſecond part of the worke which was the repaire of the manners of the people, what is ſet downe of it?
A. Foure things: 1. they repent their former corruption of life.
Q. What ſhew was of their repentance?
A. They aſſembled with publike faſting, ſack-cloath and earth vponupon them, chap. 9.
Q. What were the exerciſes of their faſt?
A. They praied foure times a day, confeſſing their ſinnes, & the word was read out of a pulpit foure times.
Q. What was the ſecond thing done for the repaire of their manners.
A. They made a couenant with God, writ it, and the Princes and Prieſts did ſeale to it.
Q. What did they promife in their couenant?
A. Firſt, not to make ſtrange marriages.
Secondly, to ſanctifie the Sabbath.
Thirdly, to giuegive allowancefor the maintenance of the Prieſts and the ſacrifices.
Q. What was the third thing that was done?
A. That Ieruſalem ſhould not lie waſt, but bee inhabited, for the better maintenance of the citie, for the preſeruation of the houſe of God, and for the performance of the exerciſes of religion, c. 11.
Q. What was the fourth?
A. Nehemiahpuniſheth the polluters of the houſe of God, the prophaners of the Sabbath, and them that married ſtraunge women, breaking the couenant which they had made with God.
Finis.