Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Ver. 1. The words of Nehemiah.]
OR, The deeds, for he was good at both, & ſo a ſingular comfort to his Country-men, according to the notation of his Name Nehemiah, Id eſt, The comfort or reſt of the Lord. Here-hence alſo ſome inferre, that Nehemiah himſelf was the Pen-man of this Book (and not Ezra, as the vulgar Latine,So did Alexan der Severus and M. Aurelius Emperours. and many ancients would have it) like as Julius Caeſar wrote his own acts; and by a more modeſt Name, called his book Commentaries, and not Hiſtories: yet did it ſo well, ut praerepta non praebita facultas ſcriptoribus videatur, (ſaid Aulus Hirtius,) that Hiſtorians had their work done to their hands: He wrote with the ſame ſpirit he fought, ſaith Quintilian.Eodem a…imo dixit, quo bellavit, lib. 10.
And it came to paſſe] This Book then is a continuation of the former: Nehemiah being a third inſtrument of procuring this peoples good, after Zerubbabel, and Ezra; and deſervedly counted and called a Third Founder of that Common-wealth, after Joſhuah, & David.
In the monethmonth Chiſleu] In the deep of Winter; then it was that Hanani and his brethren undertook their journey into Perſia, for the good of the Church.
In the twentieth year] Sc. of Artaxerxes Longimanus, thirteen yeares after Ezra and his company firſt came to Jeruſalem, Ezra 7.8. with Nehem. 2.1.
I was in Shuſhan the palace] Id eſt, In the palace of the City Suſan: this Suſan ſignifieth a Lily, and was ſo called, likely, for the beauty and delectable ſite. Now it is called Vahdac of the poverty of the place. Here was Nehemiah waiting upon his office, and promoting the good of his people.Nomine tu, quiu ſis natur â Gratius, ac te Gratius hoc Chriſti gratia praeſtet, Amen. Strabo and others ſay, that the Inhabitants of Suſia were quiet and perceable: and were therefore the better beloved by the Kings of Perſia, Cyrus being the firſt that made his chief abode there, in Winter eſpecially: and that this City was long, and in Compaſſe 15 miles about.
Verſe 2. That Hanani] A gracious man, according to his Name; and zealous for his Countrey; which indeed is a mans ſelf; and therefore when our Saviour uſed that proverb Phyſician heal thy ſelf, the ſenſe is, heal thy Countrey, Luk. 4.23.
Out of my brethren] Not by race, perhaps; but ſurely by grace, and place: a Jew, and that inwardly, and therefore entruſted after this, by Nehemiah with a great charge, Neh, 7. ver. 2.
Came, he, and certain men of Judah] Upon ſome great ſuit likely, for their Countrey; becauſe they took ſo long and troubleſome a journey in the Winter, not without that Roman reſolution of Pompey in like caſe, Neceſſe eſt ut eam, non ut vivam. Whatever their buſineſſe was, theſe men had better ſucceſſe then afterwards, Philo the Jew and his Colleagues had in their Embaſſy to Cajus the Emperour: who caſt them out with contempt, and would not hear their apology againſt Appion of Alexandria, their deadly Enemy.
And I asked them concerning the Jewes] The Church was his care: neither could he enjoy ought ſo long as it went ill with Zion. He was even ſick of the affliction of Joſeph; and glad he had got any of whom to enquire: he asked them, not out of an itch after newes; but of an earneſt deſire to know how it fared with Gods poor people, that he might cum ſingulis pectus ſuum copulare, as Cyprian ſpeaketh, rejoyce with them that rejoyced, and weep with thoſe that wept, Rom. 12.15. a ſure ſigne of a ſound member.
Which were left of the captivity] One of whom he well knew to be more worth then a rabble of Rebels, a World of wicked perſons: As the Jews uſe to ſay of thoſe ſeventy ſouls that went down with Jacob into Egypt, that they were better worth, then all the ſeventy Nations of the World beſides.
Verſe 3. Are in great affliction and reproach] The Church is heir of the Croſſe, ſaith Luther: and it was ever the portion of Gods people to be reproached,Eccleſia eſt hae. res crucis. as David was by Doeg with devouring words, Pſal. 52. Their breath as fire ſhall devour you, Eſay 33.10.
The Wall of Jeruſalem alſo is broken down] So that theeves and murtherers came in, in the Night, ſaith Comeſtor here, and ſlue many of them.
And the gates thereof are burnt with fire] They were burnt by the Chaldeans, and never yet repaired. And to keep a continual great watch was too great a charge and trouble.
Verſe 4. And it came to paſſe when I heard] It was not without a ſpecial providence that theſe good men thus met, and by mutual conference kindle one another: and that thereby God provided a remedy. Things fall not out by hap-hazard, but by Gods moſt wiſe diſpoſe and appointment.
That I ſate down and wept] He was even preſſed down with the greatneſſe of his grief;Expletur lachrymis, egeritur que dolor, Ovid. whereto he gave vent by his eyes, Zeph. 3.17, 18. God promiſes much mercy to ſuch to whom the reproach of the ſolemn aſſemblies was a burden. Nehemiah cannot ſtand under it, but ſits down and weeps.
And mourned certaine dayes] Viz. For three moneths ſpace: for ſo long he was preparing himſelf to petition the King, chap. 2.
And faſted and prayed] This was a ſure courſe, and never miſcarried, as hath been noted, Ezra 9.
Before the God of heaven] With face turned toward his holy Temple, 1 Kings 8.44, 48. with heart lifted up to the higheſt heavens, thoſe hills whence ſhould come his help.
Verſe 5. I beſeech thee O Lord] Annah Jehovah: An inſinuating preface; whereby he ſeeketh firſt to get in with God ſpeaking him faire; as doth likewiſe David, in a real and heavenly complement, Pſal. 116.16. Obſecro Jehova, I beſeech O Lord, (I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant, the ſonne of thy handmaid) break thou my bands. So the Church, Eſay 64.9. Behold, ſee we beſeech thee, we are all thy people.
The great and terrible God] A great King above all gods. foreign,Exod. 15.11. ſaith a Greek Father; glorious in holineſſe, fearful in prayſes, doing wonders, ſaith Moſes in one place: as in another, The Lord our God is God of gods, and Lord of lords; a great God, a mighty and a terrible. Verè verendus & venerandus. Deut. 10.17.Thus Nehemiah begins his prayer, and counts it a great mercy that he may creep in at a corner, and preſent himſelf before this moſt Majeſtick Monarch of the world, with greateſt ſelf-abaſement.
That keepeth covenant and mercy] That he may at once both tremble before him and truſt upon Him: he deſcribeth God by his Goodnes, as well as by Greatnes; and ſo helpeth his own faith, by contemplating Gods faithfulneſſe and loving-kindneſſe. God hath hitherto kept Covenant with heaven and earth, with nights and days, Jer. 33.20, 25. that one ſhall ſucceed the other: and ſhall he break with his people? No verily. Be ſure to keep faith in heart, or you will pray but poorly. And for this, learn in the preface to your prayers to propound God to your ſelves in ſuch notions, and under ſuch tearms and titles as may moſt conduce thereunto; pleading the Covenant.
That love him and obſerve his Commandments] That love to be his ſervants: Eſay 56.6. that wait for his Law, Iſa. 42.4. that think upon his Commandments to do them. Pſal. 103.18.
Verſe 6. Let thine eares now be attentive, and thine eyes open] Should not God ſee, as well as hear (ſaith a Divine) his children ſhould want many things? We apprehend not all our wants: and ſo cannot pray for relief of all. He of his own accord (without any Monitour) is wont to aid us. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: and his eares are open to their prayer. Pſal. 34.15.
That thou mayeſt hear the prayer of thy ſervant] If not ſecundum voluntatem, yet ad utilitatem: but uſually God anſwereth his ſervants prayers; fitting his mercy ad cardinem deſiderii, Aug. Confeſſ. l. 5. c. 8.as here; and letting it be unto them, even as they will.
Which I pray before thee now day and night] Chriſt requireth his ſervants and ſuppliants to pray and not faint, Luke 18.1. Ordinarily, morning and evening without faile; Extraordinarily, oftner. The Jewes divide their day into Prayer, Work, and Repaſt: neither will they omit prayer for their meat, or labour. The Mahometans what occaſion ſoever they have, either by profit or pleaſure, to divert them, will pray five times every day; and upon the Friday, (which is their Sabbath) ſixtimes. Vae torpori noſtro! how few and feeble are our prayers for our ſelves and for our brethren in diſtreſſe;Grand Sig. Seraglio. 181. who have for that cauſe an unanſwerable action againſt us!
And confeſſe the ſinnes of the children of Iſrael] This He did more fully and at large, then is here ſet downe: and he fitly beginneth with Confeſſion: that having gotten off the guilt of ſinne, he might with more courage and comfort deprecate wrath, and beg mercy.
Which we have ſinned againſt thee] There lay the pinch of his grief, that they ſinned againſt ſo good a God.
Both I and my fathers houſe have ſinned] Hîc igitur Lyra deliravit, Lyra is out when he ſaith here, that Nehemiah confeſſed his owne ſinnes, but onelyonly as a member of the ſame body, he himſelf being innocent. Comparatively innocent he was doubtleſſe; but that he was not without ſinne, and ſuch ſinnes as he had cauſe to confeſſe to be God-provoking ſinnes, is clear by this very text. He was ſenſible of his owne ſinnes, and of other-mens ſinnes too. The ſinnes of our Anceſtors not bewailed and diſclaimed, are ſet upon our ſcore, Dan. 5.22.
Verſe 7. We have dealt very corruptly] Heb. Corrupting we have corrupted our ſelves againſt thee. Or, We have bound over our ſelves unto thee to be puniſhed for our ſinnes. Of confeſſing with utmoſt aggravation, and laying load upon our ſelves, ſee the Notes on Ezra 9.
And we have not kept the Commandments, nor Statutes, nor Judgements] i. e. Neither the Lawes Moral, Ceremonial, nor Judicial. We have broken all thy bonds, and caſt thy cords from us.
Verſe 8. Remember I beſeech thee the word] It befalleth not the Lord to forget or remember (to ſpeak properly) for all things are preſent with him. Nevertheleſſe Metaphorically God is ſaid to do both; as when, being provoked by the horrid ſinnes of the Jews, he ſo puniſhed them as if he had forgotten that they were his people, or that he had ever made them any promiſes. And in this caſe God gives his Prophets and praying people leave to be his Remembrancers, Eſay 62.6, 7. Ye that are the Lords Remembrancers, keep not ſilence, and give him no reſt till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the earth. This, Nehemiah doth here moſt vigorouſly, and ſped accordingly: Let us do likewiſe. Caſt the labouring Church into Gods everlaſting armes, and inmind him of his promiſes: burden him with them,Pſal. 119.49. as that Martyr ſaid; put them into ſuit, they are nigh the Lord day and night, 1 Kings 8.59. Say, remember thy word unto thy ſervant, whereupon thou haſt cauſed me to truſt. And in the want of other Rhetorick urge this with repetition, Lord thou haſt promiſed, thou haſt promiſed, &c. He loves to be urged with his word, to be ſued upon his Bond, &c.
The word that thou commandedſt, &c.] The threatening is alſo to be acknowledged Gods word, as well as the promiſe; and the uprightneſſe of our hearts is, to be approving by (beleeving) the one, as well as the other. Sower and ſweet make the beſt ſawce; promiſes and menaces mingled, ſerve to keep the heart in the beſt temper, as Nehemiah's was.
Verſe 9. But if ye returne unto me] By ſinne men do wickedly depart from God: as by Repentance, they return unto him, and cloſe with him.
And keep my Commandments] Evangelically keep them: for with a legal obedience none can: our ſhort legges and purſie hearts cannot hold out here.
And do them] Or at leaſt, be doing at them, do them as we can: ſi praecepta faciamus, etiamſi non perficiamus, ſufficit.
To the uttermoſt part of heaven] That is of the earth, which ſeemes to our eye terminated with the heaven, and covered as with an half-globe. Jewes are a diſ-jected people to this preſent: and a fearful inſtance of Gods heavy indignation againſt ſinne. Joſephus ſaith that in his time, they were grown ſo wicked, that if the Romans had not deſtroyed and diſperſed them; without doubt either the earth would have ſwallowed them up, or fire from heaven have conſumed them.
Yet will I gather them from thence] Elſe not: Gods promiſes are with a condition, which is as an Oare in a Boat, and ſterne of a ſhip; and turnes the promiſe another way.
Verſe 10. Now theſe are thy ſervants and thy people] And therefore thou are concerned, in point of honour, to ſee to them, and to work for them, as every Maſter will do for his ſervants, and King for his ſubjects. Otherwiſe, the neighbour-Nations our enemies may poſſibly ſay as Aigoland King of Saragoſſa in Aragon did; of whom it is reported, that he long time made Charlemaine beleeve that he would be baptized.…. And when he came for that purpoſe to the French Court, and ſaw many Lazars and poor people expecting alms from the Emperours table, he asking what they were? was anſwered, that they were the ſervants and people of God. On theſe words, he ſpeedily returned; deſperately proteſting that he would not ſerve that God, which could keep his ſervants no better.
Whom thou haſt redeemed by thy great power] And wilt thou part with thy purchaſe, or obſcure the glory of thy conqueſt over the gods and people of Egypt, by leaving the … people deſtitute?
Verſe 11. O Lord I beſeech thee] He ends as he began, ſee verſe 5. praying in the Holy Ghoſt, whoſe creature prayer is.
And to the prayer of thy ſervants] Whoſe neceſſities prick them on to prayer in all places; and who pray for the peace of Jeruſalem unceſſantly, Pſal. 137.
Who deſire to fear thy name] The whole life of a true Chriſtian is nothing elſe but ſanctum deſiderium, ſaith Auſtine, an holy deſire. Willing to live honeſtly, Heb. 13.18. wiſhing well to an exact keeping of Gods Commandments, Pſal. 119.4, 5. affecting that perfection, which yet we cannot effect.
Proſper I pray thee] Proſperity given in as an anſwer to prayer is very ſweet: as the cipher when it followeth the figure, addes to the number: though it be nothing in it ſelfe.
For I was the Kings Cup-bearer] And ſo might take molliſſima fandi Tempora, my fitteſt opportunity to beſtead my people.