A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 4
Nehemiah CHAP. IV.
THIS Chapter conſiſts of Two Parts; Firſt, The Builder's Obſtruction and Diſcouragement, from ver. 1, to 14. And Secondly, Nehemiah's Courage in himſelf, and Encouragement of them, ver. 15, to 23. In the Firſt Part are Three External Impediments: Firſt, A Double Deriſion: 1. Of Sanballat, ver. 1, 2. And 2. Of Tobiah, ver. 3. together with a Double Remedy to this Double Malady, ver. 4, 5, 6. 2dly. The Adverſaries Conſpiracy, ver. 7, 8. and the Antidote againſt that Evil alſo, ver. 9, 10. 3dly. Their Ambuſhment Diſcover'd, ver. 11, to 14.
Remarks upon their Diſcouragements are 1. The Devil and his Imps have ever been utter Enemies to Reformation, (as the ſetting up of God's Spiritual Worſhip is called Heb. 9.10.) All Reformers both before, in, and after this time met with much oppoſition.
Mark 1. Sanballat counterfeited contempt with his mouth (ſaith Wolphius) when he had both Fear, Grief, and Anger really in his heart: He fleer'd and jeer'd the Jews before Tobiah and Geſhem his Companions, ver. 3. and Chap. 2.19. and before the Soldiers that were in Samaria, that they might not ſuffer (ſaith Junius) the Walls to be perfected, but hinder their quick diſpatch, as if they would do all in one Day, ver. 2.
Mark 2. Tobiah (a Loaf of the ſame Leaven and Fellow ſcoffer) Taunted the feeble Jews for building ſo weak a Wall with their revived Rubbiſh, that a feeble Fox may eaſily ſcratch down or ſcrape through (ſaith Sanctius) much more the Samaritan Soldiers, ver. 3.
Mark 3. The Remedy to this Malady, ver. 4.5, 6. Nehemiah's Prayer. Thoſe cruel Mockings (ſo call'd Hebr. 11.36.) were ſuch a ſore Trial to this good Man, that he could no way qualifie his Mind but by an Holy Vent Heavenward, and ſo turning the Mockers over to God that he might take an order with them. Nor is his Prayer (ſaith Erpenius) any harſh Imprecation, but rather an Holy Prediction and Approbation of Divine Juſtice: He prays they might not paſs unpuniſh'd, leſt others (ſaith Wolphius) ſhould be harden'd in their hatred and oppoſition of God's Work, and alſo for God's own Glory, ſays Maſius.
Mark 4. God's Anſwer to his Prayer, was, The Builders took Courage and carry'd up the Wall to a greater Height; the lowneſs whereof (as Sanctius well obſerveth) Tobiah had ſcoffed, as moſt eaſily Scaled. God made their minds more willing to Work, becauſe they met with much Oppoſition.
Remark the Second: When theſe Scoffers ſaw their Scoffing ineffectual, they Conſpire to Aſſault them by force, and to turn their ſharp Words into ſharper Swords; to this purpoſe they raiſe up a Rabble of Rebels (the Arabians, Ammonites and Aſhdodites) to aſſiſt them in carrying on this Conſpiracy, and to wage War againſt theſe New Walls, ver. 7, 8. This puts Nehemiah upon Prayer again to God, who was his ſafeſt Sanctuary, Prov. 18.10 yet ſets a Watch too, not daring to tempt God by neglect of means, ſays Oſiander. N. B. This good Man Acts according to the Counſel of Chriſt, [Watch and Pray] Luke 21.36. Notwithſtanding ſome of the principal Builders of the Tribe of Judah began to Murmur and Mutiny againſt Nehemiah, being wearied with their tedious Work, and affrighted (ſaith Junius) with the terrible Threatning of their Adverſaries, ver. 10. Judah's Eſchutcheon was a Lion, Geneſis 49.9, 10. but here he is unlike himſelf, and degenerates into an Hart, a timorous Creature, that runs away when Danger appeareth.
Remark the Third; The Ambuſhments the Adverſaries lay for ſurprizing the Builders at unawares, were Timely Diſcover'd, ver. 11, to 14.
Mark 1. The Ambuſh was Seated ſo ſecretly, that they did promiſe to themſelves that their Plot and Project would proſper, and that they ſhould ſo unexpectedly Aſſault them before they could foreſee their Danger, or be able to prevent it, ver. 11.
Mark 2. But the Jews which were Dwellers (diſperſed) in Samaria and Arabia (ſaith Wolphius) underſtood their Plot, and often-times gave Intelligence of it to the Builders, ver. 12. This was a Friendly Office of Brethren, that ſympathiz'd with the Body.
Mark 3. This Premonition became its Prevention: Hereupon Nehemiah took the Workmen off from their Work, and made them ſtand upon their Guard, appointing them their Stations, &c. ver. 13. that if the Enemy had attempted to Aſſault them by climbing up, (ſaith Wolphius) they might beat them down by Darts and Stones.
Mark 4. The moſt pithy and pathetical Oration of Nehemiah to Encourage the Timorous, ver. 14. bidding them [Fear God, and then they need fear no Man; for God is a Defence to his Friends, but an Offence to his Foes; Fight ſo you for your Wives, Children, and Houſes.
The Second Part is the Conſequents of this Conſpiracy, ver. 15, to 23.
Remark the Firſt; The Adverſaries putting their Confidence (ſaith Wolphius) in their own Silence, Secreſie, and Suddenneſs of their Aſſault; but perceiving their Plot was both Diſcover'd and Diſappointed, they became Creſt-faln and durſt not Advance; they had hop'd to ruſh in upon them before they could either know or ſee them, ver. 11. forgetting him who is foreign, All-eye and Omniſcient, even this ſame God brought their Counſel to nought, ver. 15. as he did thoſe in David's days, Pſal. 33. 10, 11. N. B. We may truſt God in our Spiritual Armour againſt Satan, Epheſ. 6.12.
Remark the Second: The Enemy being thus fruſtrated, the Builders Return all to their Work, ver. 15. over whom Nehemiah ſettles a Standing Guard, and appoints every Workman to have his Sword girded by his Side, that at the ſound of the Trumpet they might be ready to beat off the Enemy ſeeking to ſurprize them, ver. 16, 17, 18, to whom alſo Nehemiah made a moſt Encouraging Oration, ver. 19, 20. ſaying, [Our God ſhall Fight for us] as Pſal. 24.8. David did; then the fear of the Enemy did no more weaken but waken the Workmen to Work early and late, redoubling their Diligence, and not putting off their Cloaths by Night, ver. 21, 22, 23.