Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. ANd it came to passe in the moneth Nisan, in the twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes the king, &c.] Nisan was their first moneth; this there∣fore was some foure moneths after he first hard by Hanani of the distresse of his bre∣thren in Jerusalem, which was in the moneth of Chisleu, the ninth moneth, chap. 1.1. all which time it seemeth, he continued weeping, and fasting, and praying, wai∣ting till his turn came of attending in the court, in his office of cup-bearer; for that this was the cause of his so long silence, is me thinks evident: First, because had he all this while ministred to the king, it is likely the king would have discerned his sadnesse and heavinesse before this time: And secondly, because he would doubtlesse before this have made known his request to the king. This moneth Nisan contained part of our March and part of April; whence it appears that Nehemiahs journey was in the spring of the yeare.

Vers. 2. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad? &c.] And indeed if we consider that his sorrow and grief for the sad estate of his brethren, had been so long a time accompanied with much watching and fasting and prayer, it is no wonder thought the king presently discerned the alteration of his countenance, from that it had formerly wont to be.

Then I was very sore afraid.] To wit, lest the king should suspect some evil or treacherous purpose fostered in his heart, in which case guiltinesse of conscience doth usually distract the mind, and make the countenance pale and wan: (and therefore perhaps it was that he answered presently, vers. 3. Let the king live for ever, not onely because it was the usuall form of salutation when they were to speak to

kings, but also because he desired to assure him of his faithfull intentions towards him) or else rather, lest being pressed to discover the ground of his sorrow in such a publick presence (for the queen was by, vers. 6. and therefore many also of his princes and nobles) if he should make no answer that might increase their jealousie of him, and if he should make known the cause of his grief, he might well doubt how his request would be taken, either by the king or his courtiers, or what inconvenien∣ces might follow thereupon; for both the greatnesse of the request he had to make, and the majestie of the king might in these regards be dreadfull to him. To this some adde also, that he might fear the kings displeasure, because it was not lawfull for any mourner to come into the presence of the kings of Persia: and indeed it is, said, Esther 4.2. That none might enter into the kings gates clothed with sackeloth; but whether it can be hence inferred that none that were heavie and sad might stand before the king, it may well be questioned.

Vers. 3. Why should not my countenance be sad, when the citie the place of my fathers sepulchres lyeth waste, &c.] That is, the city where they lived and dyed: This argument taken from natural compassion, was most like to prevail with an hea∣then king.

Vers. 5. If it please the king, and if thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, &c. Hereby he seeks to intimate to the king, that it was his former favour to him that emboldened him to make this request, and that he desired it with a resolution however to submit to his will, and onely sought it so farre as he should like well of the motion, to approve it as reasonable and fitting.

Vers. 6. And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him) For how long, &c.] The queens sitting by is mentioned, not onely because the relation of such particular circumstances, are good proofs of the truth of that which is related, but also happely to intimate that she was one that favoured Nehemiah, and did what she might to further his suit; which hath made some Expositours conceive that this was Esther the wife of Ahasuerus, but however in this question which the king pro∣pounded to Nehemiah, For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou re∣rurn? he discovered his love to him, and that he was loth he should be too long ab∣sent from him.

And I set him a time.] Some Expositours conceive that the time he prefixed for his return was after twelve years, because it is evident that so long he was governour of the province of Judea under Artaxerxes, to wit, chap. 5.14. From the twentieth yeare even unto the two and thirtieth yeare of Artaxerxes the king, which is twelve years, &c. but first, because the king demanding when he would return, as being loth he should be too long from him, it is not probable he would prefixe so long a time: and secondly, because the building of the walls of Jerusalem, the work for which chiefly he now went, was finished in lesse then two moneths, chap. 6.15. in fifty and two dayes, more probable it is that at present he set a shorter time, when ac∣cordingly he did return; but then went again with commission of being governour there, and was their governour twelve years, though happely in that time also he often went to Artaxerxes into Persia.

Vers. 7. Let letters be given me to the governours beyond the river; that they

may convey me over till I come into Judah.] This Ezra would not desire when he went to Jerusalem, because they had then occasionally spoken to the king of the pro∣vidence of their God over those that served him; and therefore if he had desired a guard of souldiers, he suspected they would have derided his former boasting in Gods defence and protection, Ezra 8.22. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of souldiers and horsmen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him. But now Nehemiah not suspecting any such thing, nor having happely that cause to suspect it, required a safe conduct, and that no doubt lawfully.

Vers. 8. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the kings forrest, that he may give me timber, &c.] This forrest of the kings out of which Nehemiah desired timber, was doubtlesse the forrest of Lebanon, out of which Solomon had formerly his timber, 1. Kings 5.6. and this timber he desired was for beams; first, for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, that is, the Temple; whereby either the building about the outward court is meant (for though the Temple was fi∣nished before, yet happely the gates and towers that belonged thereto were not set up,) or else rather, the palace, wherein formerly the kings of Judah dwelt, which was in a manner joyned to the Temple, and therefore may here be called the palace that appertained to the house: and secondly, for the wall of the citie, that is, the gates in severall parts of the wall: and thirdly, for a dwelling house for himself, for the house, saith Nehemiah, that I shall enter into.

Vers. 9. Now the king had sent the captains of the army, and horsmen with me.] To wit, to conduct him safe to the river Euphrates; from whence afterward he was by the governours beyond the river, conveyed to Jerusalem.

Vers. 10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant heard of it, &c.] Sanballat is called the Horonite, as it is thought, because he was the deputy Lieutenant of the Moabites: for Horonaim was a chief city in the land of Moab, Isaiah 15.5. My heart shall cry out for Moab, &c. for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction: and Jerem. 48.3, 4. A voice of crying shall be from Horanaim, spoiling, and great destruction; Moab is destroyed, &c. and Tobiah is called the servant the Ammonite, either because he had been a ser∣vant, a slave, however now he was in high place and esteem; or else, because now he was now the deputy Lieutenant, the kings vassal or servant, amongst the Ammo∣nites: Now this Tobiah because his wife was a Jewish, had ever and anon adver∣tisement of their affairs, and so wrought them great trouble.

Vers. 11. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three dayes.] That is, so long he rested himself after his journey. The like is noted of Ezra, Ezra 8.31, 32.

Vers. 12. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me, neither told I any man, &c.] To wit, that he might view the ruines of the walls round about, and the circuit of the city, and so might consider, what likelyhood there was, that they should go be able to go through with the work, what provision it was fit should be made for the accomplishment thereof, and what places were most necessa∣ry to be first, and with most speed repaired: all which he desired to be informed of with all secrecy, before any body knew of his purpose, that he might be the better a∣ble

to answer any thing objected, when it was propounded; and that there might be no talk of it till they were ready to set upon it, lest the enemies should do any thing to hinder them.

Neither was there any beast with me save the beast that I rode upon.] To wit, purposely to avoid noise.

Vers. 13. And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, &c.] Here the manner of Nehemiahs going about the citie is described, to wit, that taking advan∣tage of the night for the greater secresie, as is before said (and a moonshinie night it must needs be; for else he could not have seen in what condition the walls were) first he went out at the gate of the valley, which was before the Dragon well (so called as we may probably conceive, because of some statue of a Dragon there made, out of the mouth whereof the water came running out) and this some take to be the gate on the east-side of the citie that led to the valley of Jehoshaphat, mentioned Joel 3.2. and others the western-gate, which was near to the valley of dead bodies, of which the Prophet speaks Jer. 31.40. and secondly, that from thence he went to the dung-port, that is, the gate through which they carried the dung out of the citie.

Vers. 14. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the kings pool.] That is, to the gate which led to the fountain of Gihon, that ranne into the kings pool, that is, the pool of Siloah, or Siloam, as it is called, John 9.11. for the gate of the fountain and the pool of Siloah are joyned together, chap. 3.15▪ But the gates of the fountain repaired Shallum, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the kings gar∣den: and it was it seems called the kings pool, either because it joyned to the kings gardens, chap. 3.15. or rather because it was made by Hezekiah when he turned the water course of Gihon thither, and so from thence into the citie, 2. Chron. 32.30. Hezekiah also stopped the water course of Gihon, and brought it streight down on the west-side of the citie of David.

Vers. 15. And turned back, and entred by the gate of the valley, and so return∣ed] Out of which he went first, vers. 13. so that he either went round about the citie; or else, not finding the way passable when he came to the kings pool, he turn∣ed back the same way he came, and so went again into the citie to his lodgings.

Vers. 16. Nether 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.] That is, the workmen that were afterward employed in the work, he did not so much as carry them with him to ask their advice.

Vers. 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant the Am∣monite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, &c.] To San∣ballat and Tobiah, mentioned before, vers. 10. here is another added that joyned with them in opposing Nehemiah, to wit, Geshem the Arabian, that is, the king of Persias deputy lieutenant amongst the Arabians; and though it be said in the follow∣ing words, that they charged them with an intent of rebelling against the king of Persia: What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebell against the king? yet because it is also said here before, that they laughed them to scorn & despised them; therefore some Expositours understand those words as spoken in a scoffing manner, and as it were to imply that they had undertaken a work, which poore wretches they would not be able to effect, and wherein they should be able to hinder them well enough.

Vers. 20. But you have no portion, nor right, nor memoriall in Jerusalem.] That is, you are appointed governours in other countries; and besides you have no interest in us or in Jerusalem: neither is there any memoriall of you or your pro∣genitours to be found among us, and why then do you intermeddle with that which belongs not to you?