Bibelkommentare

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

On that day — That great fast day, Nehemiah 9:1-2 , … Or, after Nehemiah’s return from the court of Persia, Nehemiah 13:6 , so the most expound it.

They read in the book of Moses — viz. In Deuteronomy 23:3 , called by the Rabbis Sepher tochechoth, the book of rebukes, or of instructions, upon conviction.

And therein was found written — Perquam durum est (so it might seem to Ammonites and Moabites), sed ita lex scripta est, The law was perpetual and indispensable; a sign of great wrath.

That the Ammonite and the Moabite — Lot’s by-blows and the Church’s constant enemies.

Into the congregation of God — i.e. Assemblies of God’s people, whether sacred or civil, unless proselyted.

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Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Because they met not the children of Israel — A bare omission of observance subjected them to divine vengeance. As God requiteth the least courtesy done to his people, be it but a cup of cold water; so he repayeth the least discourtesy, or but neglect of them, to whom the glorious angels are ministering spirits, and may not think themselves too good to serve them, Hebrews 1:14 .

But hired Balaam against them — With the rewards of divination, Numbers 22:7 , the wages of wickedness, Judges 1:11 2 Peter 2:15 , which he greedily ran after; and not so much as roving at God, made the world his standing mark, till he had got a sword in his guts.

Howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing — So he did the pope’s curse to Queen Elizabeth, and before her, to Luther. Quo magis illi furunt, eo amplius precedo, saith he in a certain epistle; the more they rage and ban me the more I proceed and prosper. The pope excommunicated him, the emperor proscribed him, … Omnium animi tum erant arrecti, quid illa Caesaris et pontificis fulmina essent effectura. All men’s minds were then set an end, and stood on tip-toes, as it were, to see what would be the issue, saith mine author (Scultet. Annal.). A wonderful work of our God surely, and worthy to be chronicled! Luther is conveyed out of the way by the Elector of Saxony for ten months, till he would be hid no longer. Meanwhile Pope Leo dieth, the Emperor Charles V is first called into Spain to suppress seditions there, and afterwards is so busied in his wars with the French king, that he hath no leisure to look after Luther. After this, when the French king was beaten by the emperor, and carried prisoner into Spain, he was released and sent home again, upon the condition that the emperor and he should root out the Lutheran heresy, as they called it. But our God broke their designs, and turned this curse also into a blessing. For the French king returning home, and conceiving that the conditions that he had yielded unto, to get off, were unequal, entereth into a league with the pope and the State of Venice against the emperor. The pope, that he might cover his false dealing with the emperor, sends abroad his Bull and therein calleth knave first. The emperor, on the other side, complaineth of the pope’s malice and double-dealing, exhorteth him to peace, and concludeth that it were fitter for them to unite against the Lutherans. And when he could prevail nothing by writing, he abolished his authority throughout all Spain, sends his armies against him under the duke of Bourbon, claps him up prisoner in St Angelo, proclaims open war against the French, … So that religion got ground, and all things fell out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, Philippians 1:12 . Let them curse thy Church, Lord, but do thou bless; when they arise, let them ever be ashamed; but let thy servants rejoice, and speed the better for their ill wishes. So be it, Psalms 109:28 .

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Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law — And were transformed into the same image therewith, by the Spirit of grace, who had made their flinty hearts to become fleshy, … We used to say, As hard hearted as a Jew. But they that relent not, repent not at the hearing of the word, are worse than these Jews; and it may be feared that the Lord hath a purpose to destroy them. "The law of the Lord," when but read only, "is perfect, converting the soul," Psalms 19:7 , but woe to the irreformable, 2 Corinthians 4:4 .

That they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude — Vulgus promiscuum, the rabble of strangers, wherewith this people were haunted and pestered from the very first, Exodus 12:38 Numbers 11:4 . These, moved with miracles, removed with them out of Egypt, but for a mischief to them, for they drew them into sin then, as those here did also; and were, therefore, worthily put away, as the law required.

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And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied unto Tobiah:

And before this — Before the commandment came as a lamp, and the law a light, as Proverbs 6:23 causing a reformation. As toads and serpents grow in dark and dirty cellars, so do sinful disorders in ignorant places and persons.

Eliashib the priest — The high priest; but such a one as from whom profaneness went forth into all the land, Jeremiah 23:15 . The sins of teachers are teachers of sins.

Having the oversight of the chamber — i.e. Of all the chambers of the temple, by virtue of his office; and, therefore, thought belike he might do what he wished with them (now in Nehemiah’s absence) without control.

Was allied unto Tobiah — A bitter enemy to God’s people, but sly and subtle, seeking to insinuate by alliance and letters of persuasion; such as Cardinal Sadolet wrote to the Genevenses, in Calvin’s absence, and Cardinal Lorraine to the Protestant princes of Germany, that he and his brethren, the Guises (those sworn swordmen of the devil), would embrace the reformed religion.

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And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded [to be given] to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

And he had prepared for him a great chamber — Called chambers, Nehemiah 13:9 , for he had laid many chambers into one, saith Junius, by taking down the partitions, and furnishing the same for his friend and ally Tobiah.

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But in all this [time] was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem — And thence it was that things grew so far out of order. So when Moses was gone into the mount, the people set up the golden calf; they turned aside quickly, saith God, Exodus 32:8 . So were the Corinthians and Galatians so soon as St Paul’s back was but turned upon them, Galatians 1:6 , Levitate prorsus desultoria. And so were these Jews, notwithstanding their better purposes, promises, covenants; yea, and beginnings of reformation. See Nehemiah 10:30 .

And after certain days — Heb. At the end of days; that is, at a year’s end, as Vatablus and Genebrard expound it. No longer than a year was Nehemiah away from his government (to show his dutiful respect to his master, the king of Persia, and to negotiate for his nation), but all things were out of frame, so well had the devil and his instruments bestirred them. But Junius rendereth the text, exactis aliquot annis, certain years being past; and Lyra thus, at the end of his days, or of his life, when he now waxed old, he had a desire to go and reform things amiss at Jerusalem, and to die and lay his bones there. So likewise Funccius, the eighth year after his return to Artaxerxes, which was also the last year of his reign. And indeed one would wonder how in less than one year’s time things so well settled should be so far disjointed; but that the devil is οο πονηρος , the great troubler, and had by sin hurled, at first, confusion over the whole creation in an instant.

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And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

And I came to Jerusalem — There was his heart before, Animus est ubi amat, non ubi animat (Aug. de Cir. Dei, 1.9, e. 16). No sooner, therefore, had he got his conge d’aller at court, but he flees to Jerusalem, as the doves do to their windows. Fugiendum est ad clarissimam patriam; ibi pater, ibi omnia, saith Plotinus, the philosopher: hasten we all to our heavenly home; there is all that heart can wish, … Nehemiah lacketh nothing, with Artaxerxes, Hadad with Pharaoh; yet, in any case, will go into his own country, 1 Kings 11:22 . Rivers run into the sea, whence they came; the dove resteth not but upon the ark. Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit - (Ovid).

And understood not of the evil that Eliashib did — As Joseph brought his brethrens’ evil report to their father, Genesis 37:2 , as the household of Chloe declared unto St Paul the contentions at Corinth, 1 Corinthians 1:11 , so did some good souls this high priest’s miscarriages to Nehemiah, and that in an ordinance; not to disgrace him, but to reclaim him, and to free themselves from the guilt of a sinful silence.

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And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

And it grieved me sore — Such was his zeal for God that he could not bear it; no more could Phineas those two naughty packs, nor Paul the idolatry of Athens, Acts 17:16 , his spirit was moved, he was in a fit, yea, almost besides himself, as the word παοωξυνετο signifieth. This the mad world counteth madness, 2 Corinthians 5:13 , but madness in this case is better than mopishness, and the true zealot may answer his adversaries as David did Michal, 2 Samuel 6:21 , or as Basil did the threatening prefect, who told him that he was mad, Opto me in aeternum sic delirare, I wish I may be so mad to my life’s end.

Therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah — As a profane thing, not fit to be in so holy a place. True zeal, as fire, is active, and saith, Shall I budge, stop, or step back, because hoc Ithacus velit? remit my diligence for fear of a frown, loss, or mischief? Out of doors with this bondwoman and her son; down with this piece of grass, let Adonijah die, though Bathsheba intercede for him, …

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