Nehemiah
Neh 1:11 Nehemiah
Meaning comfort of Jehovah. Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer (v. 11) and was eventually appointed to be the governor of Judah (5:14).
Neh 1:12 Now
The book of Ezra is a history of the return of Israel’s captivity and the rebuilding of the house of God as the initiation of God’s recovery among His elect for His testimony on the earth according to His economy. The book of Nehemiah is a history of the rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem and the further recovery of Israel’s services and worship to God, as a continued recovery among God’s elect for His testimony for the accomplishing of His economy.
Neh 1:21 Jerusalem
The city of Jerusalem was a safeguard and protection for the house of God, which was in the city. This signifies that the house of God as His dwelling and home on the earth needs His kingdom to be established as a realm to safeguard His interests on the earth for His administration, that He may carry out His economy. The rebuilding of the house of God typifies God’s recovery of the degraded church, and the rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem typifies God’s recovery of His kingdom. God’s building of His house and His building of His kingdom go together (Matt. 16:18-19). See note 13, par. 2, in Psa. 42.
Neh 1:3a wall Neh. 2:17; cf. 2 Kings 25:10
Neh 1:4b God Neh. 2:4; Dan. 2:18
Neh 1:6a eyes 2 Chron. 6:40
Neh 1:6b confess Ezra 10:1; Dan. 9:20
Neh 1:71 commandments
See note 64 in Luke 1.
Neh 1:81 word
In his prayer to God, Nehemiah stood on God’s word and prayed according to it (vv. 8-9). Thus, God was bound by His own word.
Neh 1:8a scatter Lev. 26:33; Deut. 4:27; 28:64
Neh 1:9a return Deut. 4:30-31; 30:2-3
Neh 1:9b ends Deut. 30:4; Mark 13:27
Neh 2:1b Artaxerxes Ezra 7:1; Neh. 5:14
Neh 2:31 May
[ par. 1 2 ]
Neh 2:31 [1] Being an aggressive person, Nehemiah took advantage of this opportunity to speak to the king. Although he was a common man, a servant of the king, he was aggressive to volunteer himself to God for his burden concerning the building up of Jerusalem. He was also aggressive in making his requests known to the king (vv. 4-8). His aggressiveness was very much used by God. In type, Nehemiah’s aggressiveness, as a virtue in his human conduct, shows that our natural capacity, natural ability, and natural virtues must pass through the cross of Christ and be brought into resurrection, i.e., into the Spirit as the consummated Triune God (John 11:25; 1 Cor. 15:45), to be useful to God in the accomplishing of His economy.
Neh 2:31 [2] Nehemiah was one who lived not in his natural man but in resurrection. He was aggressive, but his aggressiveness was accompanied by other characteristics. In His relationship with God, He was one who loved God and also loved God’s interests on the earth, including the Holy Land (signifying Christ), the holy temple (signifying the church), and the holy city (signifying the kingdom of God). As a person who loved God, Nehemiah prayed to God to contact Him in fellowship (1:4; 2:4b; 4:4-5, 9). Furthermore, Nehemiah trusted in God and even became one with God. As a result, he became the representative of God. In his relationship with the people, Nehemiah was altogether unselfish; with him, there was no self-seeking or self-interest. He was always willing to sacrifice what he had for the people and for the nation (5:10, 14-19). See also notes 181 in ch. 4, 141 in ch. 5, 21, par. 2, in ch. 8, and 301, par. 2, in ch. 13.
Neh 2:3a city cf. Neh. 1:3; Psa. 102:14; 137:6
Neh 2:4a God Ezra 5:12; Neh. 1:4-5; 2:20; Dan. 2:18
Neh 2:5a rebuild cf. Psa. 51:18
Neh 2:71 River
I.e., the Euphrates. So throughout the book.
Neh 2:81a hand Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; Neh. 2:18
See note 62 in Ezra 7.
Neh 2:10a Sanballat cf. Ezra 4:4-8
Neh 2:101 servant
Probably referring to an official position under the Persian king. So also in v. 19.
Neh 2:11a Jerusalem cf. Ezra 8:32
Neh 2:17a build cf. Psa. 51:18
Neh 2:17b reproach Neh. 1:3; Psa. 44:13; 79:4; Jer. 24:9; Ezek. 5:14-15; 22:4
Neh 2:19a mocked Neh. 4:1; Psa. 44:13
Neh 2:201 The
Nehemiah’s response indicates that as a servant of God he was not cowardly but was very aggressive. See note 31.
Neh 3:1a Eliashib Neh. 3:20-21; 13:4, 7, 28
Neh 3:1b Sheep Neh. 3:32; 12:39; John 5:2
Neh 3:1c Tower Jer. 31:38; Zech. 14:10
Neh 3:3a Fish 2 Chron. 33:14; Neh. 12:39; Zeph. 1:10
Neh 3:51 Lord
Or, masters.
Neh 3:15a Shelah Luke 13:4; John 9:7, 11
Neh 3:16a Sepulchres Acts 2:29
Neh 3:28a Horse 2 Chron. 23:15; Jer. 31:40
Neh 4:1a Sanballat Neh. 2:19; 4:7
Neh 4:6a wall Psa. 51:18; Neh. 6:1, 6; 12:27; Isa. 60:18; Psa. 122:7; cf. Rev. 21:12
Neh 4:8a conspired Psa. 83:3-5
Neh 4:141 fight
On the one hand, the children of Israel were prepared to fight; on the other hand, they trusted in God, believing that He would fight for them (v. 20b). In this matter they too were aggressive (cf. note 201 in ch. 2).
Neh 4:181 me
As the commander-in-chief, Nehemiah was among those who were ready to fight against the enemy, and he took part in the night watch (vv. 17-23). He did not leave these matters to others but participated in them himself.
Neh 4:20a fight Exo. 14:14; Deut. 1:30; 3:22; 20:4; Josh. 10:14, 42; 23:3, 10
Neh 4:231 each
The Hebrew text is obscure.
Neh 5:1a cry cf. Exo. 2:23; 3:7, 9; Isa. 5:7
Neh 5:3a pledged cf. Lev. 25:35-39; Deut. 15:7-8
Neh 5:5a bondage 2 Kings 4:1; Matt. 18:25; Exo. 21:7; cf. Lev. 25:39
Neh 5:7a interest Exo. 22:25; Lev. 25:37; Psa. 15:5, Ezek. 22:12
Neh 5:8a bought Lev. 25:47-49
Neh 5:9a fear Lev. 25:36; 1 Sam. 12:14; Neh. 5:15; Acts 9:31
Neh 5:11a Restore cf. Lev. 25:10
Neh 5:13a shook Acts 18:6; cf. Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Acts 13:51
Neh 5:13b Amen Deut. 27:15; 1 Chron. 16:36; Neh. 8:6; Psa. 106:48; 1 Cor. 14:16; Rev. 22:21
Neh 5:141 not
Nehemiah, as the governor, in the position of a king, was a man with a pure heart for the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall in the carrying out of God’s economy. Unlike many of the kings of Israel and Judah, he was not selfish, he did not seek his own interests, and he was not indulgent in sexual lust. Therefore, he was qualified to enjoy the top portion, the kingship of the good land promised by God to His elect. Instead of being self-seeking, he lent money and grain without interest (v. 10), and he fed others for the purpose of building up the wall. As a result, he was used by God and received help from Him to carry out the work of rebuilding the wall of the city of Jerusalem (6:15—7:4). Nehemiah was a pattern of what a leader among God’s people should be (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2-7).
Neh 6:1a wall Neh. 6:15; cf. Neh. 7:1
Neh 6:111 to
Lit., and live.
Neh 7:6a These vv. 6-73: Ezra 2:1-70
Neh 7:65a Urim Exo. 28:30; Ezra 2:63
Neh 7:66a The vv. 66-72: Ezra 2:64-69
Neh 7:681 Their
Some MSS omit this verse, but cf. Ezra 2:66.
Neh 8:11 law
[ par. 1 2 ]
Neh 8:11 [1] God’s intention with Israel was to have on earth a divinely constituted people to be His testimony. However, most of those who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity in Babylon had been born and raised not in Israel but in Babylon. The Babylonian element had been wrought into them and constituted into their being. Therefore, after they returned to the land of their fathers to be citizens of the nation of Israel, they needed to be reconstituted. In order to be reconstituted, they needed to come back to God by coming back to His law, that is, His word. Under Ezra and Nehemiah the returned people of Israel were collectively constituted by and with God through His word to be a nation as God’s testimony. See note 301, par. 1, in ch. 13.
Neh 8:11 [2] In order to reconstitute the people of God, there is the need to educate them with the word that comes out of the mouth of God and which expresses God. To reconstitute the people of God is to educate them by putting them into the Word of God that they may be saturated with the word. The word of God is one with the Spirit (John 6:63; Eph. 6:17). Through our daily reading of the divine Word, the word of God works within us, and the Spirit, through the word, spontaneously dispenses God’s nature with God’s element into our being, causing us to be constituted with God.
Neh 8:21 Ezra
[ par. 1 2 ]
Neh 8:21 [1] For the reconstituting of God’s people, Ezra was very useful, for he was one through whom the people could be reconstituted with the word of God. See note 11 in Ezra 7.
Neh 8:21 [2] In recognizing his need of Ezra, Nehemiah, the governor, the ruler, of the nation of Israel, indicated that he was altogether not ambitious. In reconstituting the nation, Nehemiah realized that he did not know God’s Word. But Ezra, who was renowned for his knowledge of the Word of God, was still alive, and Nehemiah was willing to turn to Ezra for help. Nehemiah knew that without Ezra he could not reconstitute the people of God.
Neh 8:3a read Josh. 8:34; Deut. 31:11; Neh. 13:1
Neh 8:4a scribe Ezra 7:6; Matt. 23:2; Mark 12:35
Neh 8:61a Amen Num. 5:22; Neh. 5:13; 1 Cor. 14:16; Rev. 22:21
This indicates that rebellious Israel had been fully convinced and fully subdued by the word of God spoken through Moses.
Neh 8:9a governor Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65, 70; 10:1
Neh 8:9b holy Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1
Neh 8:131 insight
Insight here refers to apprehending the intrinsic significance of the words of the law.
Neh 8:141a booths Lev. 23:34, 42
Or, tabernacles. So throughout this chapter.
Neh 8:15a booths Deut. 16:16; cf. Luke 9:33
Neh 8:16a roofs Judg. 16:27; 1 Sam. 9:25; Acts 10:9
Neh 8:17a booths 2 Chron. 8:13; Ezra 3:4
Neh 8:18a read Deut. 31:10-11
Neh 8:181 ordinance
Israel did everything according to the complete law, with the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances (see note 64 in Luke 1). They had a revival and became a new nation, constituted through and with the word of God.
Neh 9:1a twenty-fourth cf. Lev. 23:39; 2 Chron. 7:10
Neh 9:11 on
Lit., on them.
Neh 9:2a separated Neh. 10:28; 13:30; cf. Ezra 6:21; 9:1
Neh 9:6a made Gen. 1:1; 2:4; 2 Kings 19:15; Rev. 10:6; 14:7
Neh 9:7a Abram Gen. 11:31; Acts 7:2-4
Neh 9:8a covenant Gen. 15:18; 17:7-9; 12:7
Neh 9:9b cry Exo. 14:10
Neh 9:11a divided Exo. 14:21-22; Psa. 78:13
Neh 9:12a pillar Exo. 13:21-22; Num. 14:14; Neh. 9:19; 1 Cor. 10:1
Neh 9:13a Sinai Exo. 19:20
Neh 9:14a Sabbath Gen. 2:2-3; Exo. 16:23; 20:8-11; Ezek. 20:12, 20
Neh 9:15a bread Exo. 16:4; Psa. 78:24-25; 105:40; John 6:31
Neh 9:15b rock Exo. 17:6; Num. 20:10; Psa. 78:15-16; 1 Cor. 10:4
Neh 9:18a calf Exo. 32:4; Psa. 106:19-20; Acts 7:41
Neh 9:20a Spirit Num. 11:17; Isa. 63:11
Neh 9:20b manna Exo. 16:35
Neh 9:21a forty Deut. 2:7; 29:5
Neh 9:22a Sihon Num. 21:21-31
Neh 9:23a stars Gen. 15:5; 22:17; Deut. 10:22
Neh 9:23b possess Acts 7:45; 13:19
Neh 9:25a took Deut. 6:10-11
Neh 9:26a slew 1 Kings 18:4; 19:10; Matt. 23:37; Acts 7:52; Matt. 21:35; Mark 12:5
Neh 9:27a delivered Judg. 2:14; Neh. 9:30; Psa. 106:41-42
Neh 9:27b cried Psa. 106:44-45
Neh 9:27c deliverers Judg. 2:16; 3:9, 15; 2 Kings 13:5
Neh 9:28a many Psa. 106:43
Neh 9:29a does Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 20:11; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12
Neh 9:30a Spirit 1 Pet. 1:10-11; 2 Pet. 1:21
Neh 9:32a Assyria 2 Kings 17:3
Neh 9:35a fat Neh. 9:25; Deut. 8:7-10
Neh 9:37a produce Deut. 28:33, 51
Neh 10:1a Nehemiah Neh. 1:1; 8:9
Neh 10:28a separated Neh. 9:2; 13:30; cf. Ezra 6:21; 9:1
Neh 10:291 curse
For them to enter into a curse meant that they would curse themselves if they did not keep the covenant. For them to enter into an oath meant that they could not cancel the covenant which they had made.
Neh 10:30a give Deut. 7:3; Ezra 9:12
Neh 10:31a Sabbath Exo. 20:10; Lev. 23:3; Deut. 5:12; cf. Neh. 13:15-22
Neh 10:31b seventh Exo. 23:10-11; Lev. 25:4; Deut. 15:1-2
Neh 10:32a charge cf. Matt. 17:24
Neh 10:35a firstfruits Exo. 23:19; 34:26; Lev. 2:12; Num. 18:12; Deut. 26:2
Neh 10:36a firstborn Exo. 13:2, 12-13; Lev. 27:26; Num. 18:15, 17
Neh 10:37a first Lev. 23:17; Num. 15:20-21
Neh 10:371b tithe Deut. 12:6, 11; Num. 18:26; 2 Chron. 31:12; Neh. 13:12
See note 281 in Num. 18.
Neh 11:1a holy Neh. 11:18; Isa. 48:2; 52:1; Matt. 4:5; 27:53
Neh 11:21 blessed
At that time it was a burden for anyone to dwell in Jerusalem. Because of the constant threat of foreign invasion, not many were willing to live in Jerusalem. Therefore, to have a sufficient number of people living in Jerusalem, there was the need of some arrangement by casting lots. The ones whose lot was to live in Jerusalem were required to move there. However, some were willing to volunteer to dwell in Jerusalem, and all the people blessed them.
Neh 11:18a holy Neh. 11:1
Neh 12:11 priests
The main serving ones in the worship of God, which is the main thing in God’s kingdom, were not the kings but the priests with the Levites, who were the servants of the priests (Num. 18:2, 6).
Neh 12:1a Zerubbabel 1 Chron. 3:19; Ezra 2:2; 3:2; Neh. 12:47; Matt. 1:12
Neh 12:1b Seraiah vv. 1b-21: Neh. 10:2-27
Neh 12:24a man 2 Chron. 8:14; Neh. 12:36
Neh 12:26a Nehemiah Neh. 8:9
Neh 12:27a dedication cf. Num. 7:10; 1 Kings 8:63; Psa. 30:1; Ezra 6:16
Neh 12:36a man Neh. 12:24
Neh 12:39a Fish 2 Chron. 33:14; Neh. 3:3; Zeph. 1:10
Neh 12:39b Sheep Neh. 3:1, 32
Neh 12:441 portions
Nehemiah not only brought the serving Levites and priests into function; he also supplied their daily necessities (vv. 44-47). Before that time, no one had taken care of this matter properly. See notes on Num. 18:8-32.
Neh 12:47a Levites Num. 18:21, 24
Neh 12:47b Aaron Num. 18:26-28
Neh 13:1a read Deut. 31:11-12; 2 Kings 23:2; Neh. 8:3, 8, 18; 9:3
Neh 13:1b no Deut. 23:3-5
Neh 13:11 Ammonite
See note 372, par. 1, in Gen. 19.
Neh 13:2a Balaam Num. 22:5; Josh. 24:9-10; 2 Pet. 2:15
Neh 13:2b curse Num. 23:11
Neh 13:3a separated cf. Neh. 9:2
Neh 13:3b mixed Exo. 12:38; Num. 11:4
Neh 13:6a thirty-second Neh. 5:14
Neh 13:9a purified cf. 2 Chron. 29:15-16, 18
Neh 13:10a portions Neh. 10:37
Neh 13:15a Sabbath Exo. 20:10; Neh. 10:31
Neh 13:19a Sabbath Jer. 17:21; John 5:10
Neh 13:23a married Ezra 9:2; 10:2, 10
Neh 13:25a not Neh. 10:30; Deut. 7:3
Neh 13:26a beloved 2 Sam. 12:24-25
Neh 13:26b foreign cf. 1 Kings 11:1-8
Neh 13:29a defiled Lev. 11:44; Heb. 12:15
Neh 13:301 cleansed
[ par. 1 2 ]
Neh 13:301 [1] Nehemiah, with the help of Ezra, fully reconstituted the returned captives of the nation of Israel (8:1—13:31). Consequently, Israel became a particular nation, a nation that was sanctified and separated unto God and that expressed God. They were transfused with the thought of God, with the considerations of God, and with all that God is, making them God’s reproduction. As a result, they became a divine nation on earth expressing the divine character. They were reconstituted personally and corporately to be God’s testimony.
Neh 13:301 [2] The central and crucial point of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is the matter of proper, adequate leadership. Whereas the record of the leadership in Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles is, for the most part, dark, the record in Ezra and Nehemiah is altogether bright. In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah three leaders are mentioned: Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. They were all excellent leaders, but the best and the highest was Nehemiah. Only under the leadership of persons like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah could Israel be reconstituted to be the testimony, the expression, of God on earth, a people absolutely different from the Gentile nations. Such a testimony of God is a type of what God wants the church to be today.