Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 4

Introduction

Overview

Nehemiah 4:1, While the enemies scoff, Nehemiah prays and continues the work; Nehemiah 4:7, Understanding the wrath and secrets of the enemy, he sets a watch; Nehemiah 4:13, He arms the labourers; Nehemiah 4:19, and gives military precepts.

Verse 1

Sanballat: Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah 2:19, Ezra 4:1-5, Acts 5:17

mocked: Psalms 35:15, Psalms 35:16, Psalms 44:13, Psalms 44:14, Matthew 27:29, Hebrews 11:36

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:9 - mocking 1 Kings 9:7 - and Israel 2 Chronicles 7:20 - a proverb Nehemiah 4:7 - Sanballat Nehemiah 6:1 - when Sanballat Nehemiah 6:15 - fifty Nehemiah 6:16 - when all our enemies Psalms 79:4 - scorn Proverbs 22:10 - General Isaiah 58:12 - build Jeremiah 30:17 - they John 4:9 - for

Verse 2

the army: Ezra 4:9, Ezra 4:10

feeble: 1 Samuel 14:11, 1 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 17:43, 1 Samuel 17:44, Zechariah 12:8, 1 Corinthians 1:27

fortify themselves: Heb. leave to themselves

sacrifice: Nehemiah 12:27, Nehemiah 12:43

revive: Nehemiah 4:10, Ezekiel 37:3-13, Habakkuk 3:2

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 17:42 - disdained 2 Kings 18:23 - I will deliver 1 Chronicles 11:8 - repaired Nehemiah 6:15 - fifty Psalms 14:6 - Ye Psalms 102:14 - General Psalms 123:3 - for we are Psalms 137:3 - wasted us Proverbs 11:12 - that Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Isaiah 36:8 - and I Jeremiah 9:11 - Jerusalem Jeremiah 26:18 - Jerusalem Jeremiah 33:24 - thus Lamentations 3:14 - General Zechariah 4:10 - despised John 4:9 - for John 18:35 - Amos I

Verse 3

Tobiah: Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah 2:19, Nehemiah 6:1, 1 Kings 20:10, 1 Kings 20:18, 2 Kings 18:23

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 23:3 - Ammonite 2 Samuel 6:20 - glorious 2 Samuel 10:2 - show kindness 1 Chronicles 19:2 - the children Ezra 9:1 - Ammonites Nehemiah 13:1 - Moabite Ezekiel 13:15 - The wall Ezekiel 25:6 - rejoiced Micah 7:11 - the day

Verse 4

Hear: Psalms 123:3, Psalms 123:4

despised: Heb. despite

turn: 1 Samuel 17:26, Psalms 79:12, Proverbs 3:34, Hosea 12:14

Reciprocal: Judges 12:4 - fugitives 2 Samuel 6:20 - glorious Nehemiah 6:14 - think thou Proverbs 18:3 - General Jeremiah 18:19 - hearken Jeremiah 18:23 - forgive Lamentations 1:22 - all their Lamentations 5:1 - behold Ezekiel 25:6 - rejoiced

Verse 5

cover not: Psalms 59:5-13, Psalms 69:27, Psalms 109:14, Jeremiah 18:23, 2 Timothy 4:14

their sin: Psalms 51:1, Psalms 51:9, Isaiah 43:25, Isaiah 44:22

before the builders: Isaiah 36:11, Isaiah 36:12

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 6:14 - think thou Job 16:18 - cover not Psalms 32:1 - covered Jeremiah 18:19 - hearken Lamentations 1:22 - all their Colossians 2:14 - Blotting

Verse 6

and all the wall: That is, the whole circuit of the wall was completed unto half the intended height.

for the people: The original is very emphatic, wyhee laiv leam laasoth, "for the people had a heart to work." Their heart was engaged in it, and they went about it cheerfully and vigorously.

had a mind: Nehemiah 6:15, 1 Chronicles 29:3, 1 Chronicles 29:14, 1 Chronicles 29:17, 1 Chronicles 29:18, 2 Chronicles 29:36, Psalms 110:3, 2 Corinthians 8:16, 2 Corinthians 8:17, Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 13:21

Reciprocal: Psalms 102:14 - General Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Micah 7:11 - the day Haggai 1:14 - and they

Verse 7

Sanballat: Nehemiah 4:1, Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah 2:19

the Ammonites: Judges 10:7-18, Judges 11:12-40, 1 Samuel 11:2, 2 Samuel 10:1-5, 2 Kings 24:2, 2 Chronicles 20:1, Ezekiel 25:3-7, Amos 1:13

Ashdodites: Nehemiah 13:23, Nehemiah 13:24, 1 Samuel 5:1, 1 Samuel 5:2, 2 Chronicles 26:6-8, Jeremiah 25:20, Amos 1:8, Amos 3:9, Zechariah 9:5, Zechariah 9:6

heard: Ezra 4:4-16, Ezra 5:8

were made up: Heb. ascended

then: Genesis 3:15, Acts 4:17, Acts 4:18, Acts 5:33, Revelation 12:12, Revelation 12:13, Revelation 12:17

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 23:3 - Ammonite 1 Kings 11:27 - the breaches 1 Chronicles 19:2 - the children 2 Chronicles 24:13 - the work was perfected by them Ezra 9:1 - Ammonites Nehemiah 6:1 - when Sanballat Nehemiah 6:16 - when all our enemies Isaiah 58:12 - The repairer Jeremiah 41:10 - to the Jeremiah 49:1 - their king

Verse 8

all: Psalms 2:1-3, Psalms 83:3-11, Isaiah 8:9, Isaiah 8:10, Acts 23:12, Acts 23:13

hinder it: Heb. make an error to it, Jeremiah 20:10

Reciprocal: Ezra 4:4 - troubled Jeremiah 41:10 - to the Daniel 9:25 - wall 1 Corinthians 9:12 - hinder

Verse 9

Nevertheless: Nehemiah 4:11, Genesis 32:9-12, Genesis 32:28, 2 Kings 19:14-19, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 55:16-22, Luke 6:11, Luke 6:12, Acts 4:24-30

set a watch: Matthew 26:41, Luke 21:36, 1 Peter 5:8

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand

Verse 10

The strength: Numbers 13:31, Numbers 32:9, Psalms 11:1, Psalms 11:2, Haggai 1:2

bearers: 2 Chronicles 2:18, Ezekiel 29:18

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 34:13 - the bearers Nehemiah 4:2 - revive Nehemiah 4:17 - bare burdens Nehemiah 6:9 - For they Psalms 102:14 - General

Verse 11

They shall not: Judges 20:29-48, 2 Samuel 17:2, Psalms 56:6, Isaiah 47:11, Acts 23:12, Acts 23:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:2

Reciprocal: Ezra 4:4 - troubled Nehemiah 4:9 - Nevertheless Psalms 64:4 - shoot

Verse 12

ten times: Genesis 31:7, Genesis 31:41, Numbers 14:22, Job 19:3

From all places: etc. or, That from all places ye must return to us

ye shall return: Houbigant, Michaelis, and Dathe contend, that instead of tashoovoo, "ye shall return," we should read chashevoo, "they designed.

Reciprocal: Daniel 1:20 - ten

Verse 13

Therefore: Genesis 32:13-20, 2 Chronicles 32:2-8, Psalms 112:5, Matthew 10:16, 1 Corinthians 14:20

in the lower places: Heb. from the lower parts of the place, etc. their swords. Nehemiah 4:17, Nehemiah 4:18, Song of Solomon 3:7, Song of Solomon 3:8, Ephesians 6:11-20

Verse 14

Be ye not afraid, Numbers 14:9, Deuteronomy 1:21, Deuteronomy 1:29, Deuteronomy 1:30, Deuteronomy 20:3, Deuteronomy 20:4, Joshua 1:9, 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, 2 Chronicles 32:7, Psalms 27:1, Psalms 46:11, Isaiah 41:10-14, Matthew 10:28, Hebrews 13:6

remember: Psalms 20:7, Psalms 77:10-20, Psalms 143:5, Isaiah 51:12, Isaiah 51:13, Isaiah 63:11-13

great: Nehemiah 1:5, Deuteronomy 10:17, Job 37:22, Psalms 65:5, Psalms 66:3, Psalms 66:5, Isaiah 64:1-3, Nahum 1:2-7, Hebrews 12:20, Hebrews 12:21, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 12:29

fight: 2 Samuel 10:12

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 7:21 - a mighty God 1 Chronicles 19:13 - of good Psalms 99:3 - thy great Jeremiah 10:6 - thou Daniel 2:45 - the great

Verse 15

God: 2 Samuel 15:31, 2 Samuel 17:14, Job 5:12, Job 5:13, Psalms 33:10, Psalms 33:11, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 8:10, Isaiah 44:25, Lamentations 3:37, Lamentations 3:38, 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20

every one: Mark 13:34, Romans 12:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Reciprocal: Ezra 7:6 - according to Acts 5:38 - for

Verse 16

my servants: Nehemiah 4:23, Nehemiah 5:15, Nehemiah 5:16, Psalms 101:6

and the other half: This is no unusual thing in Palestine, even at the present day; people sowing their seed are often attended by armed men, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of it.

habergeons: Habergeon, from the Teutonic hals, the neck, and bergen, to cover, defend, may be considered as signifying a breast-plate, though the Franco-Gallic hautbergon signifies a coat of mail; the original shiryon, we have already seen, denotes a corslet.

Reciprocal: Exodus 28:32 - as it were Daniel 9:25 - wall John 11:53 - from 1 Corinthians 12:21 - General

Verse 17

bare burdens: Nehemiah 4:10

every one: That is, he had his arms at hand; and was as fully prepared to fight as to work. The builders could not possibly have made any progress, if they had literally held a weapon in one of their hands; but the expression is evidently figurative, implying that every man was a much a soldier as a builder.

with one: Daniel 9:25, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 16:9, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Corinthians 6:7, Ephesians 6:11-20, Philippians 1:28, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 4:7

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 4:13 - in the lower places Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Joel 2:8 - sword

Verse 18

by his side: Heb. on his loins

he that sounded: Numbers 10:9, 2 Chronicles 13:12-17

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 4:13 - in the lower places Ezekiel 33:3 - he blow 1 Corinthians 14:8 - General

Verse 20

our God: Exodus 14:14, Exodus 14:25, Deuteronomy 1:30, Deuteronomy 3:22, Deuteronomy 20:4, Joshua 23:10, Zechariah 14:3

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 10:11 - General 1 Chronicles 5:22 - the war was of God 1 Chronicles 19:12 - If the Syrians Psalms 35:1 - fight Ezekiel 33:3 - he blow

Verse 21

So we: 1 Corinthians 15:10, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Galatians 6:9, Colossians 1:29

Reciprocal: Song of Solomon 3:8 - because

Verse 22

every one: Nehemiah 11:1, Nehemiah 11:2

Reciprocal: Song of Solomon 3:8 - because

Verse 23

So neither I: Nehemiah 5:16, Nehemiah 7:2, Judges 9:48, 1 Corinthians 15:10

saving that: etc. or, every one went with his weapon for water, Judges 5:11, The original of this obscure clause is ish shilcho hammayim, which is rendered by Montanus, vir missile suum aquas, "a man his dart to the waters," of which it is difficult to make sense. It is wholly omitted by the LXX; and one of De Rossi's manuscripts reads, meshallachah al hammayim, "in order to send them to the water."

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 4:16 - my servants Joel 2:8 - sword