A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 7
Nehemiah CHAP. VII.
THIS Chapter demonſtrates three things: Firſt, How Nehemiah prudently improved the Walls when finiſhed, and the Doors when ſet up, by appointing a faithful Watch over the Walls and Gates, ſo ſoon as the Levites had celebrated the Dedication of them, in the firſt four Verſes. Secondly, How he repleniſh'd the City with Edifices and with Inhabitants, taking a Poll of all the People, ver. 5, to 69. And Thirdly, How He and the Chief Men gave Gifts to the Cities Treaſury, ver. 70, to 73.
Remark the Firſt. Upon the firſt Part, is, Pious and Prudent Nehemiah pitcheth upon ſuch-men (like himſelf) for Piety and Prudence to be Chief Captains of the City-Watch; namely, his two tried and found faithful Friends Hanani and Hananiah, to preſerve the Cities Peace, and principally to watch its Walls and Gates againſt the Incurſions of the Enemy. He choſe not thoſe principal Officers out of any carnal reſpect, becauſe they were related to him, but becauſe they both feared God above many, which is the trueſt and ſureſt ground of a firm Fidelity.
Mark 1. Though nothing be affirmed hereof concerning Hanani here (the former of them) yet enough had been Recorded before of his Piety, and Zeal for God and his Countrey, in taking ſuch a tedious Journey from Jeruſalem to Shuſhan, to inform Nehemiah of the ſad Eſtate of the City, and to implore his helping hand to relieve it, Chap. 1.1, 2. ſo after ſuch a plain Demonſtration, 'twas needleſs to add here a new Commendation.
Mark 2. But Hananiah (of whom no ſuch account had been given before, ſave only as a Repaizer, Chap. 3.8.) hath [Iſh Emeth] Hebr. a Man of Fidelity given him here for his Character, and one that feared God (Merabbim, Hebr.) above many, exceeding and excelling other Men therein; or for many Days (as Vatablus renders it) to ſhew he was no Novice, but ſtanch and try'd, to whom Matters of Moment might ſafely be committed, &c.
Remark the Second, To thoſe two faithful Favourites, Nehemiah committed the Caſtody of the whole City, the latter of which had been the Keeper of his Court and Palace, wherein he lived like a Viceroy in great Splendour, though at his own Charge as above: Now Nehemiah having found him faithful over a little, makes him Maſter over much, Matth. 25.31. and knowing that they both feared God, which was the beſt Defence againſt all Temptations to perfidiouſneſs (that they might meet with in his abſence, as other Nobles had met before this) and the beſt ground of his Confidence in them: Therefore he conſtituted them the Shomerims, Hebr. or Keepers of the City-gates, charging them not to open them till broad Day, ver. 3. when the Enemies approaching (ſaith Maſius) may more manifeſtly be diſcovered, and the Citizens all up and ready in Caſe of an Aſſault, and their Office every Night was to feel with their Hands (ſaith Junius) whether the Gates were made Faſt, ver. 3. moreover the Citizens were ſet to Watch upon the Walls (ſaith Mariana) in that watching Place, which was next his own Houſe, every one in their Turns to make them more careful for their own ſafety.
Remark the Third, ver. 4 Shews the neceſſity of keeping this Order of a General Watch upon the Walls, becauſe the Circumference of the City was large (ſix Miles in Compaſs, ſaith Wolphius) and the People but few that had yet return'd from their Captivity, and their Houſes were not yet generally compleated, but they made a ſhift with ſheds of Boards for preſent uſe near the Walls, and many of the few that returned, were dishearten'd by the Threats of the Adverſary to remain there, ſo retired back to Babylon and Perſia, and with them Zerubbabel, ſaith Sanctius.
The Second Part is, Nehemiah's repleniſhing Jeruſalem with Inhabitants.
Remark the Firſt, While this good Man was muſing in his Mind, what Miſchief might ariſe from the fewneſs of Citizens that inhabited the City, at laſt he bethinks himſelf of ſuch means, whereby the City might be better Peopled, and thereby become the better preſerved, ver. 5, 6, to 69. the means he made uſe of was to Congregate the Nobles, Rulers and People, and to take a Catalogue of them, that ſo it might be known, who appertained to the City, and whoſe Calling lay therein, and whoſe Inheritances lay in the Country, that he might (ſaith Grotius) recal the Ancient Citizens and their Families to repleniſh the City. N.B. Wolphius Objects here, why was God ſo angry with David for this very Action of taking a Poll of his People, &c. He Anſwer's it thus, Nehemiah had juſt Cauſes to do ſo, both for a ſufficient Repleniſhment of the City with Citizens, and for raiſing a ſumm of Mony out of that Poll to ſupply preſent importunate Neceſſities, and likewiſe for a more Select number of Soldiers in this Emergency, whereas David was no way urged by any of thoſe urgent and neceſſary cogent Cauſes and Reaſons: It may farther be added, what David did in that Caſe was not ſo much from want, as from Wantonneſs, Pride, and Preſumption, &c.
Remark the Second, Though this Act of Nehemiah was meerly a prudential Act, commonly practiſed by prudent State-Polititians (that know not God) in Caſes of the like Emergency; yet this good Man aſcribes this piece of Prudence, not to himſelf or to his own Wit and Wiſdom, but to the Gift and Grace of God, both directing and inclining him to it, ver. 5. wherein he humbly acknowledg'd (with the Holy Apoſtle) that the beſt of Men are not ſufficient of themſelves ſo much as to think a good Thought, but his ſufficiency is wholly from God, 2 Cor. 3.5. and without him we can do nothing, John 15.3. His humble Heart ingenuouſly owneth that this good Motion (ſo uſeful and advantagious to the Church of God) was handed down from Heaven to him: He heard the joyful ſound of God's goings in it, and felt the Footſteps of his Anointed therein, Pſalm 89.15, 51. N.B. Nehemiah made it more manifeſt afterwards, that he firmly believed this good Motion of muſtering up this Multitude of People came from God, for out of them he taketh every Tenth Man, to repleniſh the City with Inhabitants, Chap. 11.1, 2. after they had been firſt prepared by hearing the Law, Chap. 8.2.
Remark the Third, The following Catalogue, from ver. 6, to 69. is the ſame in Subſtance (ſaith Maſius) with that in Ezra 2. ver. 1, to 68. they both begin and end alike, they only differ in number, as hath been noted before upon that Place: This difference doth not at all weaken (ſaith Wolphius) the Truth of either of thoſe ſacred Catalogues, ſeeing many Mutations (ſaith Maſius) might be made both in Names, and in Numbers, within the Compaſs of an hundred Years, and ſuch a diſtance (ſaith He) as betwixt the firſt Catalogue at Zerubbabel's return, and this here, &c.
The Laſt Part is, Nehemiah's Collection of Stores for the common good.
Remark the Firſt, This Collection was made, ver. 70, &c. for the maintenance of the Miniſtry (ſaith Oſiander) to which the Tirſhatha (Nehemiah's Name of Governour in the Perſick Language) gives Liberally, and ſo did the Roſhe Haaboth, Hebr, the principal Fathers, &c. according to their Ability, which was very laudable, being ſo lately delivered from Captivity. N.B. This condemns the Cuſtom of ſuch (ſaith He) that tho' freed from Antichriſt, yet dare Rob the Church, and Convert this Sacrilege to their own Service.
Remark the Second, Some there were who pretended to be Prieſts, to have their ſhare in this Collection, &c. ver. 64. and Ezra 2.62, &c. 2 Chron. 31.14. but becauſe they could not clear their Deſcent from Aaron (ſaith Grotius, from Joſephus) therefore Nehemiah degraded them, till an High Prieſt ſtood up with Ʋrim and Thummim, which he hoped (ſaith Grotius) God would reſtore and reſolve thereby dark Caſes; but Vatablus ſaith better, that without all doubt, this good Man pointed at the Meſſiah here; this is more probable, becauſe it was a Tradition, not only among the Jews but Samaritans alſo; that when the Meſſiah came, he would tell them all things, John 4.25, 26.