The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah Volume 13; V. 1893 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 Excerpt: ...enquiry concerning the condition of Jerusalem, we should not expect the words 'the gates...are burned with fire, ' relating to so distant an event as the Chaldean overthrow. (3) The verb 'are burned' seems to denote a recent event= 'have been burned.' It is more natural to suppose that Nehemiah's brethren inform him of a recent catastrophe at Jerusalem. It is a probable conjecture that they refer to a forcible interference, on the part of Samaritan foes, with some recent attempt of the Jews, perhaps led by Ezra, to rebuild their walls. This may be the failure described in Ezr. iv. Artaxerxes' decree of prohibition was, we may well imagine, followed up by hostile action, on the part of the enemies of the Jews, by the demolition of the wall, so far as it had been built, and by the destruction of the gates. Nehemiah, a leading Jew at the court, would have been made acquainted both with the project of rebuilding the wall and with the fact of Artaxerxes having prohibited it. Hence his anxious enquiry about the people beset with foes, and about the city whose defences were in danger. The Temple, on the other hand, had long been rebuilt with the sanction of the Persian king, Darius. There was no apprehension to be felt on its behalf. The news which he receives at first overwhelms Nehemiah with dismay. He connects in his mind the religious and national independence of his people with a strong and fortified Jerusalem. For the moment his hopes for his people seem to be shattered at a blow. 4. / sat down and wept Cf. Ezr. ix. 3 'sat down astonied, ' Ps. cxxxvii. 1 'we sat down and wept.' Nehemiah's sudden grief shows that the information brought by his 'brethren' was unexpected. mourned A word in the original used especially for formal lamenheaven, and said, I beseech t...