A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

Nehemiah CHAP. XI.

THIS Chapter is a Sacred Narrative, which seemeth to divide it self into two for∣mal Parts; the First is, An Account of those Persons that dwelt in the City. And the Second is, Of those also that dwelt in the Countrey.

Remarks upon the first Part, are

First, The City is said to be large and great, but the People were few that dwelt there∣in, Chap. 7.4. therefore was it Nehemiah's double Diligence, when he had once repaired it in all its Parts, then his Care was to Repeople it also. In Order hereunto, he Or∣ders the Rulers [especially those that made up the great Council or Sanhedrim) to dwell in Jerusalem: This they could not well but willingly embrace (saith Sanctius) be∣cause, 1. This was the Royal Seat, and the most beautiful City, and therefore the most suitable Place for the Nobles (as is usual in all Nations) to take up their Residences there: And 2. These were Voluntiers likewise, in obeying this Order, that this Ca∣pital

City might be better defended by their Presence and Influence, whereby (saith Wolphius) they declared themselves brave Patriots, and grateful Citizens for the Pub∣lick Good.

Remark the Second, This Holy City (as 'tis call'd here, ver. 2. and many other Places of Scripture, because the Temple stood in it with all its Holy Ordinances, &c.) was the principal But or Mark, that all the Jews Enemies chiefly shot at, therefore so few of either the Princes or People, durst make it their free Choice to dwell there, both because of the Danger they were mostly expos'd to in that Place, and because at present it was rather Chargeable than Beneficial to its Inhabitants in Repairing and Watch∣ing, whereas in the Countrey, they could live at more Ease, Plenty, and Safety; there∣fore were there so few that offered themselves willingly to secure this so much envied City, save only such as were truly publick-spirited, and those were they whom the People bles∣sed God for, ver. 2. that they had such Zeal for the common Cause given them, and pray'd God to bless them with Safety and Success.

Remark the Third, Because they that offer'd themselves voluntarily to dwell at Jerusa∣lem, were too few to replenish and defend that large and fair City, then it was orde∣red (say Grotius and Menochius) that every Tenth Man out of the rest of the People should dwell there, ver. 1. and that none might rationally repine at this Order, and to prevent all Murmuring, the matter was manag'd by casting Lots, the Dispose where∣of is wholly from the Lord, Prov. 16.33. that so it might appear, God himself would have such and such to dwell at Jerusalem, as the Apostles knew the Mind of God by the same Means. Acts 1.24, 26. This Oracle of God, answer'd all their Doubts: As 1. Of their Desires of enjoying the Profit and Pleasure of the Countrey: And 2. Of their Fears to live in the City, lest it should be Besieged, &c. then Conquered, and so they Captivated again, this made many loath to Adventure there to inhabite, save only those few whose Faith was above their Fear, and whom God enabled to Roll themselves upon his precious Promise [I will be a Wall of Fire round about Jerusalem, Zech. 2.5.] N. B. This one of Ten, or Hebr. Teshang Haiadoth, nine Hands (saith Montanus) or Parts, that were left by Lot to live in the Countrey, when only one part was chosen by God to dwell in this Earthly Jerusalem, is an excellent shadow and figure of the Paucity or fewness of those whom the Lord chuseth to inhabit the Heavenly Jerusalem, according to Isa. 6.13. Jer. 3.14, &c. Many are called, but few chosen, Matth. 7.13. and 20.16. and 22.14

Remark the Fourth, The Description of those that were chosen to reside in the City, 1. Those of Judah's Tribe, from ver. 4, to ver. 7. yea and of the Children of Ephraim, and of Manasseh too, 1 Chron. 9.3. where the same is set down, as here, but the num∣ber is greater, because here only those are reckoned who inhabited Jerusalem by Lot, but there the Voluntiers also, as Masius well observes out of Junius; and therefore the Name Israel is used, ver. 3. to intimate (saith Menochius out of Lyra) that such of the Ten Tribes as for Religion's sake were moved to leave their own Tribes, and to join themselves with the Men of Judah, as many did, 2 Chron. 11.16. and 30.11, &c. And 2. Of the Tribe of Benjamin, ver. 7, 8, 9. this little Benjamin (so called, Psalm 68.27.) the smallest of the Tribes of Israel, 1 Sam. 9.21. yeilds more by half than Ju∣dah (as Wolphius well observeth) for that Tribe affords only four hundred and sixty eight, whereas this Tribe hath nine hundred and twenty eight. And 3. Of Levites, from ver. 10, to 25. as Jerusalem stood within both these Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, therefore are they reckon'd first, the Total Summ of both Tribes, amounting to one thousand three hundred and ninety six, so the Levites are reckon'd next, whose number amounted to one thousand four hundred and seventy six, beside the one hundred and seventy two Porters, who were all Levites also, so that the Total Summ of the Le∣vites exceeded that of the Lay-People (so called) N. B. These were the Salt of the City, Matth. 5.13. to keep the Citizens from Putrifying by their Holy Instructions.

The Second Part is a Description of those that were left by Lot, &c. to live in the les∣ser Cities and Villages of the Countrey, and this also is threefold, both in respect of their Persons, and of their Places and Offices.

Remark the First, Those of the Tribe of Judah, from ver. 25, to ver. 31. the Per∣sons of this Tribe are said to be assigned to their several Cities [Beiad Hammelek, Hebr.] by the Hand of the King, ver. 24. for Nehemiah (saith Masius) was the King of Persia's Viceroy, and acted all these things as his Deputy, and Chief Commissioner in Judea, which is here call'd a Province, ver. 3. belonging to the Kingdom of Persia; therefore these Orders of Nehemiah are said to be by the King's Commandment, ver. 23. assigning sundry Seats to the Men of Judah.

Remark the Second, The Tribe of Benjamin comes next, from ver. 31, to ver. 36. and they have Cities also, and their Daughters appointed for them, the Hebrew calleth Villages Daughters, because as Daughters are under a Mother, so are Villages under a City adjoining to them, saith Mariana: Among other Cities, Bethel was assigned to those of Benjamin, it was in the out-Coasts of that Tribe, and thereupon surprized by the ten Tribes in their Revolt, who set up one of their Golden Calves there, 1 Kings 12.29.

Remark the Third, Concerning the Levites, ver. 36. who had their Divisions both in Judah and in Benjamin, having Cities and Suburbs given them, as being of great use∣fulness thoughout the Countrey to instruct the People, besides those that were settl'd in Jerusalem.

N. B. 1. Many of those Cities and Villages had been destroyed by the Chaldean, when they over-ran the Countrey in Nebuchadnezzar's Day, but now (upon their return from Captivity) they had repaired them again, &c.

N. B. 2. The King of Persia impower'd Nehemiah to do what he saw fit to be done, giving him the same Commission, which he had formerly given to Ezra, Ezra 7.18, 20, 23. and therefore Nehemiah most piously and prudently judg'd it meet, to disperse those Levites among these two Tribes, knowing that Candles in a Pound give no Light, but when lighted up one in one Room, and another in another, all the House is lighted there∣by, &c.