Albert Barnes Commentary Nehemiah 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
Nehemiah 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
Nehemiah 4
"Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;" — Nehemiah 4:4 (ASV)
The parenthetical prayers of Nehemiah form one of the most striking characteristics of his history. Here we have the first. Other examples are (Nehemiah 5:19); (Nehemiah 6:9), (Nehemiah 6:14); (Nehemiah 13:14), (Nehemiah 13:22), (Nehemiah 13:29), (Nehemiah 13:31).
"So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half [the height] thereof: for the people had a mind to work." — Nehemiah 4:6 (ASV)
Up to half of it - that is, to half the intended height.
"But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth;" — Nehemiah 4:7 (ASV)
The Arabians ... - Probably a band, composed largely of Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, which Sanballat maintained as a guard to his person, and which formed a portion of the army of Samaria (Nehemiah 4:2). A quarrel between such a band and the people of Jerusalem might be overlooked by the Persian king.
"But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them." — Nehemiah 4:9 (ASV)
Because of them - Or, “over against them,” that is, opposite to the place where they were encamped, probably on the north side of the city.
"And it came to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times from all places, Ye must return unto us." — Nehemiah 4:12 (ASV)
Ten times – that is, repeatedly.
From all places ... – Better as in the margin. The Jews who lived on the Samaritan border came to Jerusalem and tried to withdraw their contingents of workmen from the work, explaining to them the impending danger and saying, “You must return to your homes, and so escape it.”
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