N
E H E M I A H
CHAP. II.
How Nehemiah
wrestled with God and prevailed we read in the foregoing chapter; now here we
are told how, like Jacob, he prevailed with men also, and so found that his
prayers were heard and answered. I. He prevailed with the king to send him to
Jerusalem
with a commission to build a wall about it, and grant him what was necessary
for it, ver. 1-8. II. He prevailed against the enemies that would have
obstructed him in his journey (ver. 9-11) and laughed him out of his
undertaking, ver. 19, 20. III. He prevailed upon his own people to join with
him in this good work, viewing the desolations of the walls (ver. 12-16) and
then gaining them to lend every one a hand towards the rebuilding of them,
ver. 17, 18. Thus did God own him in the work to which he called him.
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Nehemiah's
Request to the King.
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B.
C. 445.
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1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in
the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before
him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not
been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king
said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not
sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very
sore afraid, 3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever:
why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers'
sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with
fire? 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make
request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said unto the
king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy
sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers'
sepulchres, that I may build it. 6 And the king said unto me, (the
queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt
thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given
me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come
into Judah; 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's
forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace
which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for
the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the
good hand of my God upon me.
When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his countrymen, and perhaps in
David's words (Ps. li. 18, Build thou the walls of Jerusalem), he did
not sit still and say, "Let God now do his own work, for I have no more
to do," but set himself to forecast what he could do towards it. Our
prayers must be seconded with our serious endeavours, else we mock God. Nearly
four months passed, from Chisleu to Nisan (from November to March), before
Nehemiah made his application to the king for leave to go to Jerusalem, either
because the winter was not a proper time for such a journey, and he would not
make the motion till he could pursue it, or because it was so long before his
month of waiting came, and there was no coming into the king's presence
uncalled, Esth. iv. 11. Now that he attended the king's table he hoped to have
his ear. We are not thus limited to certain moments in our addresses to the
King of kings, but have liberty of access to him at all times; to the throne
of grace we never come unseasonably. Now here is,
I. The occasion which he gave the king to enquire into his cares and griefs,
by appearing sad in his presence. Those that speak to such great men must not
fall abruptly upon their business, but fetch a compass. Nehemiah would try
whether he was in a good humour before he ventured to tell him his errand, and
this method he took to try him. He took up the wine and gave it to the king
when he called for it, expecting that then he would look him in the face. He
had not used to be sad in the king's presence, but conformed to the rules of
the court (as courtiers must do), which would admit no sorrows, Esth. iv. 2.
Though he was a stranger, a captive, he was easy and pleasant. Good men should
do what they can by their cheerfulness to convince the world of the
pleasantness of religious ways and to roll away the reproach cast upon them as
melancholy; but there is a time for all things, Eccl. iii. 4. Nehemiah now saw
cause both to be sad and to appear so. The miseries of Jerusalem gave him
cause to be sad, and his showing his grief would give occasion to the king to
enquire into the cause. He did not dissemble sadness, for he was really in
grief for the afflictions of Joseph, and was not like the hypocrites who disfigure
their faces; yet he could have concealed his grief if it had been
necessary (the heart knows its own bitterness, and in the midst of laughter is
often sad), but it would now serve his purpose to discover his sadness. Though
he had wine before him, and probably, according to the office of the
cup-bearer, did himself drink of it before he gave it to the king, yet it
would not make his heart glad, while God's Israel was in distress.
II. The kind notice which the king took of his sadness and the enquiry he made
into the cause of it (v. 2): Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou
art not sick? Note, 1. We ought, from a principle of Christian sympathy,
to concern ourselves in the sorrows and sadnesses of others, even of our
inferiors, and not say, What is it to us? Let not masters despise their
servants' griefs, but desire to make them easy. The great God is not pleased
with the dejections and disquietments of his people, but would have them both serve
him with gladness and eat their bread with joy. 2. It is not
strange if those that are sick have sad countenances, because of what is felt
and what is feared; sickness will make those grave that were most airy and
gay: yet a good man, even in sickness, may be of good cheer if he knows that
his sins are forgiven. 3. Freedom from sickness is so great a mercy that while
we have that we ought not to be inordinately dejected under any outward
burden; yet sorrow for our own sins, the sins of others, and the calamities of
God's church, may well sadden the countenance, without sickness.
III. The account which Nehemiah gave the king of the cause of his sadness,
which he gave with meekness and fear. 1. With fear. He owned that now (though
it appears by the following story that he was a man of courage) he was
sorely afraid, perhaps of the king's wrath (for those eastern monarchs
assumed an absolute power of life and death, Dan. ii. 12, 13; v. 19) or of
misplacing a word, and losing his request by the mismanagement of it. Though
he was a wise man, he was jealous of himself, lest he should say any thing
imprudently; it becomes us to be so. A good assurance is indeed a good
accomplishment, yet a humble self-diffidence is not man's dispraise. 2. With
meekness. Without reflection upon any man, and with all the respect,
deference, and good-will, imaginable to the king his master, he says, "Let
the king live for ever; he is wise and good, and the fittest man in the
world to rule." He modestly asked, "Why should not my countenance
be sad as it is when (though I myself am well and at east) the
city" (the king knew what city he meant), "the place of my
fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste?" Many are melancholy and sad but
can give no reason for being so, cannot tell why nor wherefore; such should
chide themselves for, and chide themselves out of, their unjust and
unreasonable griefs and fears. But Nehemiah could give so good a reason for
his sadness as to appeal to the king himself concerning it. Observe, (1.) He
calls Jerusalem the place of his fathers' sepulchres, the place where
his ancestors were buried. It is good for us to think often of our fathers'
sepulchres; we are apt to dwell in our thoughts upon their honours and titles,
their houses and estates, but let us think also of their sepulchres, and
consider that those who have gone before us in the world have also gone before
us out of the world, and their monuments are momentos to us. There is also a
great respect owing to the memory of our fathers, which we should not be
willing to see injured. All nations, even those that have had no expectation
of the resurrection of the dead, have looked upon the sepulchres of their
ancestors as in some degree sacred and not to be violated. (2.) He justifies
himself in his grief: "I do well to be sad. Why should I not be so?"
There is a time even for pious and prosperous men to be sad and to show their
grief. The best men must not think to antedate heaven by banishing all
sorrowful thoughts; it is a vale of tears we pass through, and we must submit
to the temper of the climate. (3.) He assigns the ruins of Jerusalem as the
true cause of his grief. Note, All the grievances of the church, but
especially its desolations, are, and ought to be, matter of grief and sadness
to all good people, to all that have a concern for God's honour and that are
living members of Christ's mystical body, and are of a public spirit; they
favour even Zion's dust, Ps. cii. 14.
IV. The encouragement which the king gave him to tell his mind, and the
application he thereupon made in his heart to God, v. 4. The king had
an affection for him, and was not pleased to see him melancholy. It is also
probable that he had a kindness for the Jews' religion; he had discovered it
before in the commission he gave to Ezra, who was a churchman, and now again
in the power he put Nehemiah into, who was a statesman. Wanting therefore only
to know how he might be serviceable to Jerusalem, he asks this its anxious
friend, "For what dost thou make request? Something thou wouldst
have; what is it?" He was afraid to speak (v. 2), but this gave
him boldness; much more may the invitation Christ has given us to pray, and
the promise that we shall speed, enable us to come boldly to the throne of
grace. Nehemiah immediately prayed to the God of heaven that he would
give him wisdom to ask properly and incline the king's heart to grant him his
request. Those that would find favour with kings must secure the favour of the
King of kings. He prayed to the God of heaven as infinitely above even this
mighty monarch. It was not a solemn prayer (he had not opportunity for that),
but a secret sudden ejaculation; he lifted up his heart to that God who
understands the language of his heart: Lord, give me a mouth and wisdom;
Lord, give me favour in the sight of this man. Note, It is good to be much
in pious ejaculations, especially upon particular occasions. Wherever we are
we have a way open heaven-ward. This will not hinder any business, but further
it rather; therefore let no business hinder this, but give rise to it rather.
Nehemiah had prayed very solemnly with reference to this very occasion (ch.
i. 11), yet, when it comes to the push, he prays again. Ejaculations and
solemn prayers must not jostle out one another, but each have its place.
V. His humble petition to the king. When he had this encouragement he
presented his petition very modestly and with submission to the king's wisdom
(v. 5), but very explicitly. He asked for a commission to go as
governor to Judah, to build the wall of Jerusalem, and to stay there for a
certain time, so many months, we may suppose; and then either he had his
commission renewed or went back and was sent again, so that he presided there
twelve years at least, ch. v. 14. He also asked for a convoy (v.
7), and an order upon the governors, not only to permit and suffer him to pass
through their respective provinces, but to supply him with what he had
occasion for, with another order upon the keeper of the forest of Lebanon to
give him timber for the work that he designed.
VI. The king's great favour to him in asking him when he would return, v.
6. He intimated that he was unwilling to lose him, or to be long without him,
yet to gratify him, and do a real office of kindness to his people, he would
spare him awhile, and let him have what clauses he pleased inserted in his
commission, v. 8. Here was an immediate answer to his prayer; for the
seed of Jacob never sought the God of Jacob in vain. In the account he gives
of the success of his petition he takes notice, 1. Of the presence of the
queen; she sat by (v. 6), which (they say) was not usual in the Persian
court, Esth. i. 11. Whether the queen was his back friend, that would have
hindered him, and he observes it to the praise of God's powerful providence
that though she was by yet he succeeded, or whether she was his true friend,
and it is observed to the praise of God's kind providence that she was present
to help forward his request, is not certain. 2. Of the power and grace of God.
He gained his point, not according to his merit, his interest in the king, or
his good management, but according to the good hand of his God upon him.
Gracious souls take notice of God's hand, his good hand, in all events which
turn in favour of them. This is the Lord's doing, and therefore doubly
acceptable.
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Nehemiah's
Journey to Jerusalem; the Malice of Sanballat, &c.
B. C.
445
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9 Then I came to the governors beyond the
river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the
army and horsemen with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and
Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them
exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of
Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any
man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there
any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. 13 And I
went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and
to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down,
and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. 14 Then I went on
to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no
place for the beast that was under me to pass. 15 Then went
I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and
entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 16 And
the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it
to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to
the rest that did the work. 17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the
distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the
gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of
Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18 Then I told them of
the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he
had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they
strengthened their hands for this good work. 19 But
when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem
the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and
said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the
king? 20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of
heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build:
but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
We are here told,
I. Now Nehemiah was dismissed by the court he was sent from. The king
appointed captains of the army and horsemen to go with him
(v. 9), both for his guard and to show that he was a man whom the
king did delight to honour, that all the king's servants might respect him
accordingly. Those whom the King of kings sends he thus protects, he thus
dignifies with a host of angels to attend them.
II. How he was received by the country he was sent to.
1. By the Jews and their friends at Jerusalem. We are told,
(1.) That while he concealed his errand they took little notice of him. He was
at Jerusalem three days (v. 11), and it does not appear that any
of the great men of the city waited on him to congratulate him on his arrival,
but he remained unknown. The king sent horsemen to attend him, but the Jews
sent none to meet him; he had no beast with him, but that which he himself
rode on, v. 12. Wise men, and those who are worthy of double honour,
yet covet not to come with observation, to make a show, or make a noise, no,
not when they come with the greatest blessings. Those that shortly are to have
the dominion in the morning the world now knows not, but they lie hid,
1 John iii. 1.
(2.) That though they took little notice of him he took great notice of them
and their state. He arose in the night, and viewed the ruins of the walls,
probably by moon-light (v. 13), that he might see what was to be done
and in what method they must go about it, whether the old foundation would
serve, and what there was of the old materials that would be of use. Note,
[1.] Good work is likely to be well done when it is first well considered.
[2.] It is the wisdom of those who are engaged in public business, as much as
may be, to see with their own eyes, and not to proceed altogether upon
the reports and representations of others, and yet to do this without noise,
and if possible unobserved. [3.] Those that would build up the church's walls
must first take notice of the ruins of those walls. Those that would know how
to amend must enquire what is amiss, what needs reformation, and what may
serve as it is.
(3.) That when he disclosed his design to the rulers and people they
cheerfully concurred with him in it. He did not tell them, at first, what he
came about (v. 16), because he would not seem to do it for ostentation,
and because, if he found it impracticable, he might retreat the more
honourably. Upright humble men will not sound a trumpet before their alms or
any other of their good offices. But when he had viewed and considered the
thing, and probably felt the pulse of the rulers and people, he told them what
God had put into his heart (v. 12), even to build up the wall of
Jerusalem, v. 17. Observe, [1.] How fairly he proposed the
undertaking to them: "You see the distress we are in, how we lie
exposed to the enemies that are round about us, how justly they reproach us as
foolish and despicable, how easily they may make a prey of us whenever they
have a mind; come, therefore, and let us build up the wall." He
did not undertake to do the work without them (it could not be the work of one
man), nor did he charge or command imperiously, though he had the king's
commission; but in a friendly brotherly way he exhorted and excited them to
join with him in this work. To encourage them hereto, he speaks of the design,
First, As that which owed it origin to the special grace of God. He
takes not the praise of it to himself, as a good thought of his own, but
acknowledges that God put it into his heart, and therefore they all
ought to countenance it (whatever is of God must be promoted), and might hope
to prosper in it, for what God puts men upon he will own them in. Secondly,
As that which owed its progress hitherto to the special providence of God. He
produced the king's commission, told them how readily it was granted and how
forward the king was to favour his design, in which he saw the hand of his God
good upon him. It would encourage both him and them to proceed in an
undertaking which God had so remarkably smiled upon. Thus he proposed it to
them; and, [2.] They presently came to a resolution, one and all, to concur
with him: Let us rise up and build. They are ashamed that they have sat
still so long without so much as attempting this needful work, and now resolve
to rise up out of their slothfulness, to bestir themselves, and to stir up one
another. "Let us rise up," that is, "let us do it with
vigour, and diligence, and resolution, as those that are determined to go
through with it." So they strengthened their hands, their own and
one another's, for this good work. Note, First, Many a good work
would find hands enough to be laid to it if there were but one good head to
lead in it. They all saw the desolations of Jerusalem, yet none proposed the
repair of them; but, when Nehemiah proposed it, they all consented to it. It
is a pity that a good motion should be lost purely for want of one to move it
and to break the ice in it. Secondly, By stirring up ourselves and one
another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it;
for the great reason why we are weak in our duty is because we are cold to it,
indifferent and unresolved. Let us now see how Nehemiah was received,
2. By those that wished ill to the Jews. Those whom God and his
Israel
blessed they cursed. (1.) When he did but show his face it vexed them, v.
10. Sanballat and Tobiah, two of the Samaritans, but by birth the former a
Moabite, the latter an Ammonite, when they saw one come armed with a
commission from the king to do service to Israel, were exceedingly grieved
that all their little paltry arts to weaken Israel were thus baffled and
frustrated by a fair, and noble, and generous project to strengthen them.
Nothing is a greater vexation to the enemies of good people, who have
misrepresented them to princes as turbulent, and factious, and not fit to
live, than to see them stand right in the opinion of their rulers, their
innocency cleared and their reproach rolled away, and that they are thought
not only fit to live, but fit to be trusted. When they saw a man come in that
manner, who professedly sought the welfare of the children of Israel,
it vexed them to the heart. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved.
(2.) When he began to act they set themselves to hinder him, but in vain, v.
19, 20. [1.] See here with what little reason the enemies attempted to
discourage him. They represented the undertaking as a silly thing: They
laughed us to scorn and despised us as foolish builders, that could not
finish what we began. They represented the undertaking also as a wicked thing,
no better than treason: Will you rebel against the king? Because this
was the old invidious charge, though now they had a commission from the king
and were taken under his protection, yet still they must be called rebels.
[2.] See also with what good reason the Jews slighted these discouragements.
They bore up themselves with this that they were the servants of the God of
heaven, the only true and living God, that they were acting for him in
what they did, and that therefore he would bear them out and prosper them,
though the heathen raged, Ps. ii. 1. They considered also that the reason why
these enemies did so malign them was because they had no right in Jerusalem,
but envied them their right in it. Thus may the impotent menaces of the
church's enemies be easily despised by the church's friends.
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